Aviation Minister Keir Mather faced criticism after it emerged he had publicly stated the UK's air traffic control system was 'well prepared' and possessed 'increased resilience' just one day before a significant technical failure caused widespread disruption.
The system experienced a four-hour technical failure at National Air Traffic Services (NATS) on Tuesday, resulting in the cancellation of over 2,000 flights and impacting more than 330,000 passengers. The fallout from the meltdown led to significant delays and cancellations at major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, and Stansted, with some travelers stranded for extended periods.
Mather, who was appointed aviation minister in September at age 27, made his remarks in response to a written parliamentary question on Monday. He asserted that 34 recommendations from a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) review following a 2023 meltdown had been implemented. He also highlighted new legislation enacted in December aimed at recruiting air traffic controllers from overseas and the military, stating this would bolster the system's resilience and reduce delays.
However, the events of Tuesday appeared to contradict these assurances. Critics, including Tory shadow transport secretary Richard Holden, accused the Labour party of hubris, stating that the promised resilience failed when it was most needed. Holden argued that ministers should accept responsibility for system failures if they are quick to claim credit for successes.
NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe, who earned approximately £1.4 million in pay and bonuses last year, has also drawn scrutiny. This incident marks another significant disruption under his leadership, following a 2023 meltdown that affected around 250,000 passengers, and a radar-related failure in July of the previous year that led to approximately 250 flight cancellations. Ryanair and Wizz Air have publicly called for Rolfe's resignation.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander met with Rolfe following the incident. While sources indicated she 'read him the riot act,' she has not called for his dismissal, instead requesting a report on the failure by Wednesday. Alexander stated that she had been assured of the implementation of all CAA recommendations earlier in the year and acknowledged that "something has gone wrong here clearly." She emphasized her responsibility to hold both NATS and the CAA accountable.
NATS, a public-private partnership with a controlling government stake, is owned partly by airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, and Virgin Atlantic, as well as Heathrow Airport and NATS staff. The CAA has advised that passengers affected by the disruptions are unlikely to be entitled to compensation, as the failure is likely to be classified as 'extraordinary circumstances'.