UK Air Traffic System Faces Another Disruption, Affecting 25,000 Ryanair Passengers

Sep 21, 2026

66 min

Sep 21, 2026 15:31

UK air traffic system hit again: 25,000 Ryanair passengers disrupted

## Technical Fault at Prestwick

The UK's air traffic control system experienced another technical issue on Monday, impacting flights across the country. This latest problem occurred at the NATS air traffic control center in Prestwick, Scotland, leading to flight restrictions while engineers addressed the issue. NATS confirmed that the fault was unrelated to a previous incident on September 8, which caused over 2,000 flight cancellations.

## Impact on Ryanair and Other Airlines

Ryanair reported that more than 25,000 of its passengers were affected, with over 140 flights delayed. The disruption primarily impacted flights involving Scotland, Northern Ireland, and northern England. Airports such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Manchester experienced delays and cancellations, with similar issues reported in Belfast.

## Repeated Technical Failures

This incident marks the second technical failure for NATS in less than two weeks. The earlier disruption on September 8 was due to a software glitch, which led to significant air traffic restrictions. Ryanair has called for the resignation of NATS' chief executive, citing repeated failures and the resulting passenger disruptions.

## Response and Future Measures

NATS has apologized for the inconvenience and emphasized that safety remains a priority. The organization is working with airlines and airports to lift restrictions and minimize further delays. Meanwhile, airlines are urging improvements to the resilience of the UK's air traffic control infrastructure.

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