A three-hour air traffic control technical fault hit airports across the UK on Tuesday, cancelling nearly 300 flights and causing knock-on disruption that could continue into Wednesday.
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Key facts
- An air traffic control technical issue affected UK airports on Tuesday, arising shortly before 2pm.
- The fault was resolved about three hours later.
- Nearly 300 flights had been cancelled by that time.
- Airports affected included Manchester, Birmingham and all London airports.
- Knock-on disruption was likely to continue into the evening and possibly Wednesday.
Airports across the UK, including Manchester, Birmingham and all of London’s airports, were hit by problems at air traffic control on Tuesday, according to the Guardian.
The technical issue arose shortly before 2pm and was resolved about three hours later. By the time it was fixed, nearly 300 flights had been cancelled.
The disruption spread beyond the affected airports themselves. Knock-on effects were felt across Britain and at destination airports abroad, and were likely to continue into the evening.
The Guardian reported that the disruption could persist into Wednesday, even though the underlying technical problem had been resolved on Tuesday afternoon.
Passengers whose journeys were affected have been left seeking clarity on their rights, with the outlet publishing guidance for those caught up in the cancellations and delays.
Why it matters
Air traffic control failures can rapidly cascade across an entire national network, stranding thousands of travellers and disrupting connections abroad. Knowing your rights helps affected passengers understand what compensation or assistance they may be entitled to when flights are cancelled or delayed.
Frequently asked questions
When did the UK air traffic control problem happen?
According to the Guardian, the technical issue arose shortly before 2pm on Tuesday and was resolved about three hours later.
How many flights were cancelled?
Nearly 300 flights had been cancelled by the time the technical issue was resolved, the Guardian reported.
Which airports were affected?
Airports across the UK were hit, including Manchester, Birmingham and all of London's airports, with knock-on disruption at destination airports abroad.
Timeline
- UK airport disruption: what are your rights if you have been affected?
The Guardian World: Air traffic control issue affecting airports across UK on Tuesday has been resolved but disruption could continue into Wednesday Flight disruption across UK continues after air traffic control technical issue Business live – latest updates Airports across the UK including Manches