Summary
A problem with the UK's air traffic control radar caused delays and cancellations for flights across the country, affecting many passengers. The issue lasted only 20 minutes but had a lasting impact because of busy airspace. The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) quickly switched to backup systems, and there was no evidence of a cyber attack.
Key Facts
- A radar problem in the UK's air traffic control system lasted 20 minutes.
- The issue led to 150 flight cancellations and ongoing delays.
- NATS, which manages UK airspace, switched to a backup system to resolve it.
- There is no evidence of a cyber attack causing the problem.
- Transport Secretary confirmed it was an isolated event with no malign activity.
- Airline companies criticized NATS due to past similar issues in August 2023.
- Ryanair called for NATS's chief executive to resign, blaming repeated failures.
- Experts noted the UK has very busy airspace, which makes failures more impactful.
- The UK government supports increasing airport capacity to handle air traffic demand.
