London’s airspace was recently closed down for a brief period due to a technical failure at the UK’s leading air traffic control centre. These technical issues have impacted flights across the country. According to a report by Eurocontrol, the shutdown began at 2:39 pm GMT (around 7 pm IST), halting all outbound departures from airports including Gatwick. NATS, the UK air traffic authority, has since confirmed that engineers have resolved the technical issues and are “resuming normal operations in the London area.” However, residual delays are expected to continue throughout the day. In a thread of posts shared X confirming the technical issues, NATS wrote: “As a result of a technical issue at NATS Swanwick air traffic control centre, we are limiting the number of aircraft flying in the London control area in order to ensure safety, which is always our first priority. We apologise for any delays this may cause. Our engineers are working hard to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and we are working closely with airlines to help minimise disruption. At this stage we cannot say how long it will be before operations are back to normal. Please check with your airline on the status of your flight.”
What caused this technical issue
As per the report, the fault, which was identified within radar systems at NATS’ Swanwick centre, temporarily prevented controllers from accurately tracking aircraft positions. This raised safety concerns among air traffic controllers in the country. While incoming flights landed safely, many passengers experienced delays lasting several hours, the report noted. NATS has already apologised for the disruption and has advised travellers to contact their airlines for current updates. Due to the technical issue in the UK, Dublin airport in Ireland has also advised passengers to prepare for possible delays.In a statement to passengers (as seen by Irish Independent), Dublin airport said: “Some delays to flights to and from Dublin airport are possible this evening due to a now resolved air traffic control issue in the UK, which impacted on flights flying over the UK for a period of around 30 minutes earlier this afternoon. Passengers due to fly this evening are advised to contact their airline directly for updates on their flight.”
