UK airports face second day of chaos after 1,300 flights grounded & passengers ‘trapped’ over air traffic control outage

TENS of thousands of passengers face a second day of travel chaos after a major air traffic control glitch sparked more than 1,300 cancellations. The glitch hit National Air Traffic Services’ (NATS) flight processing system, causing widespread disruption across UK airports. Thousands of passengers are stranded overnight at Heathrow airport Credit: w8media Heathrow staff were under pressure for answers as many customers are frustrated about having to spend the night in the terminal Credit: w8media Passengers have been warned of “horrible” knock-on effects as airlines battle to recover from the chaos. NATS has now implemented a fix to the issue, saying its flight system is “starting to recover”. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The organisation said it was continuing to work with airlines and airports on recovery and apologised for the disruption. But the nightmare is far from over, with airlines battling a huge backlog of flights caused by Tuesday’s meltdown. Passengers taking a nap on the airport floor as a glitch wreaks havoc for travellers Credit: Getty Images Those facing cancellations were forced to get comfy in the airport while they wait Credit: AFP via Getty Images Heathrow has warned passengers that disruption could continue today as airlines scramble to reposition aircraft and crew. In a statement on social media, the airport said: “Following yesterday’s NATS technical issue, flights are operating today, but some disruption may continue as airlines reposition aircraft and crew.” It urged passengers to check their flight status with their airline before travelling and only head to the airport if their flight was confirmed to be operating. Heathrow added: “We apologise to those affected and have extra colleagues across our terminals to support passengers while we work with NATS and airline partners to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.” Most read in The Sun NATS said: “We have implemented a fix and our flight system is starting to recover. “We are continuing to work closely with our airline and airport customers on recovery.” It added: “We apologise sincerely for the disruption to people’s journeys today and they should continue to check with their airline.” Flight monitoring website Flightradar24 said 1,300 flights were cancelled to and from UK airports on Tuesday. Terminal 5 is the busiest of all the London airport terminals as passengers take up every seat in the departure lounge as they prepare for a long night Credit: w8media Passengers face another anxious wait as airlines attempt to untangle the latest mess Credit: w8media A further 177 cancellations were recorded early on Wednesday, nearly all of them at Heathrow. The disruption is expected to continue at major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted. Travel journalist Simon Calder warned the knock-on effects on Wednesday were “going to be horrible”. He told Sky News: He told Sky News: “There are going to be dozens of cancellations in the morning of flights coming into Heathrow because, basically, the flights didn’t go out tonight.” British Airways was forced to cancel or divert more than 100 flights on Tuesday, affecting “tens of thousands of customers”. Ryanair said more than 65,000 of its passengers had been disrupted and more than 50 scheduled flights cancelled. The chaos has left travellers stranded abroad, stuck on runways and facing hours-long delays. Yesterday, passengers told The Sun they had been left stranded overseas as flights were unable to return to the UK. Travel journalist Simon Calder warned the knock-on effects on Wednesday were ‘going to be horrible’ Credit: w8media A further 177 cancellations were recorded early on Wednesday, nearly all of them at Heathrow Credit: w8media One passenger at Gatwick, Josie Donoghue, said she spent three hours trapped on a plane before being forced to get off. She said: “Getting through that airport was like trying to get out of Alcatraz. We were trapped in there. “We were told we couldn’t get out until the flights were cancelled, and then eventually they allowed us to get out. “It’s just an absolute nightmare down there, it’s the only word I can use to describe it.” Others passengers complained they were forced to abandon their luggage after flights were cancelled and rebooked days later. One traveller said they had been told to leave the airport without their bags, despite their new flight not being until Thursday. Another fumed: “My flight’s rescheduled in two days, how am I supposed to live without my things?” One passenger also claimed they spent around eight hours trapped on a grounded plane with their two-year-old before waiting another 90 minutes for their baggage. The latest meltdown has also sparked a furious row over the future of NATS boss Martin Rolfe. Ryanair chief operating officer Neal McMahon called on him to resign over what he branded repeated failures. He said: “How many more failures do passengers have to suffer before overpaid failure Nats CEO Martin Rolfe accepts responsibility for his repeated mismanagement and resigns?” Mr Rolfe said he “always accept full responsibility” when asked if he was considering his position. He told Sky News: “I am the CEO of a piece of critical infrastructure, so it is my job to take responsibility for that.” He said his focus was on resolving the problem, getting services “back to normal” and helping airlines, airports and passengers. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is due to speak to Mr Rolfe today before addressing MPs in the Commons. Now passengers face another anxious wait as airlines attempt to untangle the latest mess. More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us on TikTok @TheSun. Comment now