Radar fault causes disruption at multiple UK airports

A radar fault in the UK’s air traffic control system caused major flight disruptions on 30 July, affecting operations at more than five major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham.

The issue began around 16:00 at the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire. Although it was resolved within about 20 minutes, the glitch forced temporary airspace closures and reduced flight handling capacity, leading to widespread delays and cancellations.

Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Birmingham, and Edinburgh airports were among those hit hardest, with further delays reported at Manchester, Liverpool, and Stansted. Airlines, including British Airways and Ryanair, were forced to delay or cancel services as they worked through the backlog.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said an investigation was underway and stressed the need for stronger safeguards after similar problems last year.

Ryanair’s chief operations officer has called for the resignation of NATS’s chief executive, accusing the organisation of repeated failures.

NATS issued an apology and said it was working with airlines and airport operators to restore normal operations as quickly and safely as possible.

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