Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe has been summoned to brief UK transport secretary Heidi Alexander after flight cancellations hit 1,300 during a second day of travel chaos affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.
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Key facts
- Nats boss Martin Rolfe has been summoned to meet UK transport secretary Heidi Alexander.
- Flight cancellations reached 1,300 on the second day of disruption.
- Hundreds of thousands of passengers have been affected.
- Rolfe faces pressure to resign over a third major stoppage in just over three years.
- The briefing is due to take place on Wednesday, according to the Guardian.
The chief executive of the UK air traffic control provider Nats has been summoned to meet the transport secretary as flight cancellations climbed to 1,300 in a second day of widespread disruption, according to the Guardian.
Martin Rolfe, the Nats boss, is due to brief the transport secretary Heidi Alexander on Wednesday, the Guardian reported. The meeting comes as hundreds of thousands of passengers have been caught up in the delays and cancellations.
Rolfe is facing increasing pressure to resign, the Guardian said, following what it described as a third major stoppage to flights in just over three years.
The scale of the disruption, with 1,300 flights cancelled across two days, has placed the performance of the air traffic control provider under intense scrutiny from both passengers and government.
The summoning of the Nats chief executive signals the level of concern within government about the repeated interruptions to air travel and their impact on travellers.
Why it matters
Air traffic control disruptions can strand large numbers of travellers and ripple across airline schedules for days. With this marking a third major stoppage in just over three years, the episode raises questions about the reliability of critical aviation infrastructure and the accountability of those who run it.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Martin Rolfe?
Martin Rolfe is the boss of Nats, the UK's air traffic control provider, who has been summoned to meet the transport secretary and faces pressure to resign, according to the Guardian.
How many flights have been cancelled?
The number of flight cancellations reached 1,300 during a second day of disruption, according to the Guardian.
When is the meeting with the transport secretary taking place?
Martin Rolfe is due to brief transport secretary Heidi Alexander on Wednesday, the Guardian reported.
Timeline
- Nats boss summoned by UK transport secretary as flight chaos enters second day
The Guardian World: Martin Rolfe, who faces pressure to resign, due to brief Heidi Alexander after cancellations hit 1,300 Business live – latest updates The boss of the air traffic control provider Nats has been summoned to meet the UK transport secretary as the number of flight cancellations hit 1