Departures from London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports were grounded on September 8, 2026, due to a technical failure within the air traffic control system. The disruption has led to widespread travel chaos, affecting thousands of passengers with flight delays and cancellations.
National Air Traffic Services (NATS) confirmed they are investigating the technical issue affecting flight departures. Engineers are on-site working to resolve the problem. A spokesperson for NATS apologized for the disruption and advised passengers to check the status of their flights with their respective airlines. Updates are being provided on the NATS website and its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Passengers at other airports across the United Kingdom, including Luton, Manchester, and Newcastle, have also reported delays. Travelers shared their experiences on social media, with one user on X describing being stranded on the tarmac in Alicante while en route to Manchester, indicating the issue was not confined to London airports.
This incident is the latest in a series of disruptions for UK air travelers. Last week, flights at Gatwick were halted for approximately 50 minutes when a plane became stuck on the runway. In July, passengers at Gatwick experienced a lack of running water, which prevented the use of toilets and handwashing facilities for several hours.