Airports across the UK, including those in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, experienced problems with air traffic control on Tuesday, 8 September 2026. The technical issue arose shortly before 2pm and was resolved approximately three hours later.
By the time the issue was fixed, nearly 300 flights had been cancelled. Knock-on disruption is expected to continue across Britain and at international destination airports into Tuesday evening and potentially Wednesday.
Passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled may be entitled to care and assistance from their airline, depending on the delay duration and flight distance. This can include food, drink, communication access, and accommodation if delayed overnight. However, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advises against luxury expenses and to keep all receipts.
For cancelled flights covered by UK law, airlines must offer a choice between an alternative flight or a refund. If a delay exceeds five hours, passengers can choose a refund and not travel. Compensation from airlines for this disruption is unlikely, as the technical issue is considered an extraordinary circumstance outside airline control.