Tens of thousands of passengers plunged into travel chaos this week are unlikely to get compensation, the regulator has warned.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is conducting an independent review, has told those impacted that the “disruption caused by the Nats outage is likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”.
This means passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident,” it said.
More than 2,000 flights to and from the UK were cancelled or delayed on Tuesday and Wednesday due to a “technical issue”.
London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted airports were among the most disrupted aviation hubs on Wednesday.
National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) chief Martin Rolfe was summoned at lunchtime on Wednesday to see Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, after reporting a problem with the organisation’s flight data processing system.
Asked whether Ms Alexander and the prime minister still have confidence in Rolfe, a spokesperson said: “We have confidence in him and he’s been tasked with an investigation.”
Have you been affected by airport delays? Get in touch by emailing sophie.dickinson@independent.co.uk
Read MoreFlight chaos that left thousands stranded and could cost aviation industry £70m ‘was avoidable’
Inside the IT ‘glitch’ that triggered UK flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
What does Britain’s failing air traffic control boss have to do to get fired?
Key Points
- Passengers impacted by travel chaos unlikely to be compensated, says CAA
- Inside the IT ‘glitch’ that triggered UK flight chaos
- Analysis: What does Britain’s failing air traffic control boss have to do to get fired?
- A further 417 flights cancelled on Wednesday
- Nats chief still has the confidence of the government, says Downing Street
Airline passengers face more delays as Gatwick strikes planned next week
11:20 , Amelia NeathFlight passengers at Gatwick airport could face further disruption next week as more than 220 assisted travel workers plan to strike over pay.
The walkout was announced by trade union Unite on Wednesday, the day after around 1,300 UK flights were grounded following a technical issue with air traffic control systems.
The industrial action will take place from 17 September to 21 September, then 23 September to 26 September.
Read more:
Airline passengers could face more delays as Gatwick strikes planned next week
Heathrow airport making some schedule changes
10:38 , Natalie WilsonFollowing Tuesday's technical issue, Heathrow has said that there “may still be some changes to schedules”.
The airport said on X: “We know the knock-on effects of Tuesday's disruption have been frustrating, and we thank those affected for their patience.
“We advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight information before travelling to Heathrow.”
Following Tuesday's technical issue affecting @NATS air traffic control, we continue to work closely with airlines to ensure the majority of flights operate as normal, although there may still be some changes to schedules.
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) September 10, 2026
We know the knock-on effects of Tuesday's disruption… pic.twitter.com/WQ2cCrGK0D
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary compares other airlines to rapists in bizarre rant
10:16 , Sophie DickinsonRyanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has said it is “absolutely” appropriate to compare other airlines to “rapists”.
The billionaire businessman made the remarks ahead of his airline’s annual general meeting in Dublin on Thursday.
Mr O’Leary told reporters at the company’s headquarters: “You might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair – but you know they’ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA, and others desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.”
Asked whether this was appropriate language, Mr O’Leary told reporters: “Absolutely.”
Read more:
Ryanair boss compares other airlines to rapists in bizarre rant
British Airways operated 80 per cent of flights on Wednesday
09:32 , Natalie WilsonBritish Airways said it operated almost 80 per cent of its flight schedule on Wednesday, with flights rebooked for “the vast majority of our customers”.
09.09.26 1620: An update for our customers pic.twitter.com/tFvtmCtK1v
— British Airways (@British_Airways) September 9, 2026
Virgin Atlantic customers told to 'come on time' to airport
09:02 , Natalie WilsonAirlines have advised passengers to arrive at the airport on time as the aviation industry recovers.
Virgin Atlantic said: “Following the widespread disruption from the technical issue affecting the Nats air traffic control system, we expect to operate our planned flying programme on Thursday 10 September, and ask that customers come to the airport on time for their departure.”
What counts as ‘extraordinary circumstances’ – and why can they prevent refunds?
08:56 , Sophie DickinsonThe Civil Aviation Authority has said that “disruption caused by the Nats outage is likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’.”
This means passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation.”
But what counts as extraordinary circumstances?
Typically, the phrase is understood to mean “political instability, meteorological conditions incompatible with the operation of the flight concerned, security risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings and strikes”.
Court cases have gradually refined the concept of “extraordinary circumstances” to exclude mechanical problems. A judge ruled such issues are “inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the air carrier”.
Ryanair says: “Only a small number of claims will be eligible for compensation. Most delays/cancellations are out of Ryanair’s control.”
Read more:
UK flights chaos: Your refund rights and why compensation is ‘unlikely’
Operations at Gatwick have 'returned largely to normal'
08:41 , Natalie WilsonIn a post on Wednesday evening, Gatwick airport said that operations have “returned largely to normal, although a small number of residual delays may still occur” following the Nats technical issue.
Passengers are still advised to check with their airline for the latest information on their flights before heading to the airport.
Following on from the technical issue at NATS, which impacted UK airports, we can confirm that operations at London Gatwick have returned largely to normal, although a small number of residual delays may still occur.
— London Gatwick LGW (@Gatwick_Airport) September 9, 2026
We would like to thank passengers for their patience during… pic.twitter.com/zfZ3LmK2Ll
Flight delays recovering in London
08:22 , Natalie WilsonAs of 8am Thursday, flight tracking service Flightradar24 shows 58 delayed flights at London Heathrow, with an average delay of 14 minutes.
At London Gatwick, 74 flights are delayed by an average of 13 minutes, with 45 flights delayed by an average of just nine minutes at London Stansted.
Delays ‘very distressing for elderly people’, says Independent reader
07:32 , Sophie DickinsonAn reader from Australia, Jill Parkes, has shared her experience of the disruption.
“We are two women in our seventies,” she writes. After her flight from Zurich to Melbourne (via Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur) was cancelled on Tuesday, she says there were “no BA support staff in the airport. Dnata staff told us to take our luggage and find accommodation at our own expense, with no assurance of new flights.
“Very distressing for elderly people with no experience in booking online, or without access to surplus funds to cover these unexpected costs. So far it has cost more than CHF600 (£545).
“We have had to pay for two nights’ accommodation, plus taxis and food bought at Aldi.
“At midnight on the first night, we were offered new flights with Thai from Zurich, via Bangkok. We readily accepted, but the flights are not until today, 10 September.
“So we’re still in Zurich.”
'Fraudsters tried to sell me fake BA flights', stranded passengers say
05:00 , Harriette BoucherHolidaymakers Geoff and Janina McBride are warning people about a scam that NatWest fortunately rescued them from.
The McBrides, from Hampshire, were trying to travel to Lisbon and then on to the Azores to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary – but their flight was cancelled.
Former government nanotechnology scientist Mr McBride, 63, told PA they called a phone number on what they thought was the official BA website.
A fraudster pretending to work for the airline tried to offer them alternative flights from London City, Gatwick or Heathrow airports and via Munich.
The false flights were about £600 each, but the payments to him were not going through.
His wife, 64, called NatWest to ask why and they told her “get off the phone to them immediately”, Mr McBride said.
His card was blocked and the payments cancelled, he added, telling PA: “What do you do when you’re in a drama?
“I’m very well-versed in cybersecurity, but it’s that one click, isn’t it?
“And it looked legitimate, proper, he sounded proper, he was going through all the different flights, had all the details, so he can pull that off the internet and speak to me down the phone, credit card details – so I was lucky, very lucky.”
Mr McBride added: “We were in a panic – that’s when they get you.”
In depth: Inside the IT ‘glitch’ that triggered UK flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
04:00 , Harriette BoucherIt was shortly after 1pm on Tuesday afternoon when it first emerged something had gone badly wrong.
As airport passengers began seeing flights delayed on departure boards at Heathrow and Gatwick, National Air Traffic Services (Nats), the UK’s air traffic control provider, issued an alert over a “technical issue” causing disruption.
An hour and a half later, amid heightened chaos that had spread to other major airports across the country, the public-private partnership body sent out an update, explaining that the issue in “our flight processing system” had been identified. Some 75 minutes later it said had been fixed and systems were recovering – but with a warning that the disruption could last days.
Such a recovery took longer than hoped, conceded Nats in a further statement at 7.30pm, as the increasingly under-fire body offered an unreserved apology to the growing thousands of passengers stranded at airports, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.
To the hardened airline traveller, it brought, perhaps, a sense of déjà vu.
The IT meltdown that triggered flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
Ryanair repeats calls for 'overpaid failing' air traffic boss to be sacked
03:00 , Harriette BoucherRyanair has taken another jab at the ‘overpaid failing” boss of Nats, repeating calls for him to sacked after yesterday’s technical glitch.
Chief operating officer Neal McMahon said: “The last thing UK passengers and airlines need after yet another NATS system collapse is another ‘review’ or ‘report’.
“Asking failed CEO Martin Rolfe to conduct this report is similar to asking a failed student to mark his own exam paper!”
He added: “Martin Rolfe, after the Aug 2023 NATS system collapse promised Parliament that this wouldn’t happen again, and that an effective back-up system would be introduced. UK passengers learned yesterday that these assurances were worthless. The NATS ATC system collapsed again, and yet again, there was no back-up system.
“Martin Rolfe, the overpaid failing CEO cannot be trusted to report on his own failings. He should be sacked and replaced with someone competent to run the UK ATC system and to prevent repeated collapses of UK ATC and it’s non-existent back-up systems.”
In pictures: Hundreds of flights cancelled on Wednesday as disruption continued across UK
Thursday 10 September 2026 00:00 , Harriette Boucher
400 UK flights cancelled on Wednesday
Wednesday 9 September 2026 23:15 , Harriette BoucherSome 399 flights in and out of the UK were cancelled on Wednesday, the latest data has shown.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, 7 per cent of all flights failed to take off today.
There were 209 flights arriving or departing Heathrow that were cancelled, 23 to Manchester, and 18 to Gatwick.
The worst affected airlines were British Airways, which had 88 flights cancelled, and easyJet which had 31.
Cirium said interruption was slowing down on Wednesday evening, with no cancellations currently expected tomorrow.
Everything that happened yesterday after technical issued sparked travel chaos
Wednesday 9 September 2026 22:49 , Harriette BoucherAnother 400 flights were cancelled yesterday after Nats’ “technical issue” sparked chaos at airports across the country.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers who have been affected by the air traffic control problems have now been told by the regulator that they are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation”.
Calls are continuing to grow for air traffic boss Martin Rolfe to resign after he was summoned by transport secretary Heidi Alexander at lunchtime yesterday.
Ms Alexander said she did not believe the air traffic control issue was “unavoidable”, and asked Mr Rolfe to carry out a full investigation and report back in one week's time.
The transport secretary said that along with the prime minister, she still had confidence in Mr Rolfe.
She also ordered the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct an independent review.
Disruption is due to wind down on Thursday, with no cancelled flights currently expected.
Travel disruption expected to wind down on Thursday
Wednesday 9 September 2026 22:33 , Harriette BoucherThere is little disruption expected on Thursday after 400 flights were cancelled yesterday, aviation analytics firm Cirium said.
Its data last night showed that cancellations were continuing to slow and there were none scheduled for today.
Some 399 flights in and out of the UK were cancelled on Wednesday, including 209 flights to and from Heathrow.
Overall, thousands of flights have been cancelled or delayed due to the “technical issue” that caused chaos at airports across the country.
Editorial: Britain’s crumbling vital infrastructure cannot be allowed to fail
Wednesday 9 September 2026 22:30 , Harriette BoucherThe latest ‘technical glitch’ to cause widespread chaos at Britain’s airports must not be allowed to happen yet again. But preventing it will mean confronting the awesome challenge – and cost – of modernising air traffic control
Britain’s crumbling vital infrastructure cannot be allowed to fail
In the UK and Europe, what can I expect if my flight is delayed?
Wednesday 9 September 2026 21:06 , Harriette BoucherFor delays of under two hours, you have no rights (unless a short delay in the UK triggers a missed connection and much later arrival at your final ticketed destination – see below).
For longer delays, the airline should provide refreshments as appropriate after a specified length of time. This applies regardless of the cause of the delay.
The time at which the duty of care kicks in depends on the distance you are flying:
- Short flights (up to 1,500km): refreshments after two hours
- Mid-haul journeys (1,500 to 3,500km): three hours
- Longer trips: four hours
Note that if the airline believes providing the care would further delay the flight, it need not deliver.
If the delay extends overnight, the airline is obliged to find and pay for a hotel room. In practice, carriers often say, “too difficult”, and invite the passenger to book their own and reclaim later.
While this attitude does not comply fully with the rules, aviation authorities tend to turn a blind eye to it.
The duty of care applies regardless of the cause of a delay or cancellation.
Cancelled or delayed flights: What are my rights to a refund?
Nats needs to be 'addressed as a matter of urgency', says BA
Wednesday 9 September 2026 20:10 , Harriette BoucherBritish Airways has joined other airlines in criticising Nats and calling for air traffic control problems to be “addressed as a matter of urgency”.
The airline, which has been worst affected by yesterday’s technical glitch, said: “We’ve long made the case for improved resilience in aviation.
“We’ve heard reassurances before, but then we’re faced with issues like this yet again.
“Our customers and colleagues are tired of dealing with these issues, time after time. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.”
Affected passengers are unlikely to be compensated - CAA
Wednesday 9 September 2026 18:37 , Harriette BoucherThe tens of thousands of passengers affected by the mass cancellations and delays this week are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation”, the regulator has warned.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the “disruption caused by the Nats outage is likely to be considered the result of ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under passenger rights rules”.
This means passengers are “unlikely to be entitled to compensation for delays or cancellations that were directly caused by the incident,” it said.
The CAA, which is carrying out an investigation, added: “We have reminded airlines of their responsibilities to look after passengers whose flights have been delayed or cancelled.”
It said airlines must provide passengers with meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the length of the delay.
Analysis: Inside the IT ‘glitch’ that triggered UK flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
Wednesday 9 September 2026 18:09 , Harriette BoucherIt was shortly after 1pm on Tuesday afternoon when it first emerged something had gone badly wrong.
As airport passengers began seeing flights delayed on departure boards at Heathrow and Gatwick, National Air Traffic Services (Nats), the UK’s air traffic control provider, issued an alert over a “technical issue” causing disruption.
An hour and a half later, amid heightened chaos that had spread to other major airports across the country, the public-private partnership body sent out an update, explaining that the issue in “our flight processing system” had been identified. Some 75 minutes later it said had been fixed and systems were recovering – but with a warning that the disruption could last days.
Such a recovery took longer than hoped, conceded Nats in a further statement at 7.30pm, as the increasingly under-fire body offered an unreserved apology to the growing thousands of passengers stranded at airports, including Bristol, Birmingham and Manchester.
To the hardened airline traveller, it brought, perhaps, a sense of déjà vu.
Read more:
The IT meltdown that triggered flight chaos – and the warnings issued three years ago
'Trying to get a seat in Wetherspoons is like the Hunger Games'
Wednesday 9 September 2026 17:04 , Rhian Lubin, Senior US reporterTerminal 5 pre-security at Heathrow was significantly calmer this afternoon than it was yesterday, but departures is another matter.
I was among tens of thousands of passengers caught up in yesterday’s chaos and am trying again today to get back to New York.
My 12.20pm flight on Tuesday was just minutes from taking off when the crew was told to stand down.
We were stuck on the runway for four hours before British Airways had to cancel our flight.
The next available flight I could get a seat on wasn’t until tonight.
I was one of the lucky ones and managed to get a hotel room in nearby Ealing, 20 minutes away on the Elizabeth Line.
So, some 30 hours later, I’m back in Departures and it is extremely busy.
Trying to get a seat in the Wetherspoons is like The Hunger Games.
The good news is that the majority of flights now seem to be departing more or less on time, according to the boards in front of me. Fingers crossed!
'Serious concern' from airlines after third major system failure in three years
Wednesday 9 September 2026 16:42 , Harriette BoucherUK Airlines have written to the transport secretary to share their “serious concern” about Nats technical failure yesterday.
The body representing them has called for tougher action following the major disruption caused from Nats third major system failure in three years, it said.
Tim Alderslade, the chief executive of Airlines UK, said:“The latest NATS failure has again exposed a gap in the UK’s aviation regulatory framework.
“Airlines are expected, in supporting passengers, to absorb the costs of disruption, even when the cause lies entirely outside their control.
“The result is a system where airlines pick up the bill for the mistakes of others, while the organisations responsible face little or no financial consequence. Accountability should sit where responsibility lies and the Civil Aviation Bill offers the opportunity to address this.”
New bill could give stranded passengers more rights
Wednesday 9 September 2026 16:03 , Sophie DickinsonAt the second reading of the Civil Aviation Bill in the House of Commons today, the transport secretary said that the new legislation would give the Civil Aviation Authority direct enforcement powers for consumer protection.
"That means faster action when rules are broken, and less burden on consumers to fight for what they're owed," Ms Alexander said. Currently, passengers on delayed and cancelled flights are required to contact their airline for a potential refund, based on the severity of the disruption.
‘I do not believe this issue was unavoidable’, says transport secretary
Wednesday 9 September 2026 15:53 , Sophie DickinsonSpeaking in the House of Commons this afternoon, the transport secretary Heidi Alexander said that she did not believe the issue was “unavoidable”, as she said: “I am clear that passengers should not have to face this disruption.”
She has asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to carry out an independent review into the incident, which will report back in six months.
Risk of scam activity higher at times of major disruption, says expert
Wednesday 9 September 2026 15:45 , Sophie DickinsonStranded passengers hoping to contact airline support services on social media can often fall foul of fraudulent replies from fake accounts. These purport to be from official sources but are actually run by individuals hoping to access private information.
Rob Burgess, editor of frequent flyer website Head for Points, warned: “Fake airline customer support lines are a long-term problem, but at time of major disruption its more likely people will get caught out.
“A genuine social account should have a verification tick or similar and, more importantly, have a large number of followers and posts going back many years.
“Remember that you don't need to hand over your credit card details before someone gets vital information on you – just giving your booking reference and surname allows access your personal details, and that can be used for a non-travel related scam."
2,093 flights affected since Tuesday
Wednesday 9 September 2026 15:12 , Natalie WilsonAccording to Cirium, the aviation analytics company, 2,093 flights have been affected by the Nats technical issue. The figure represents 5.91 per cent of the 5,869 scheduled flights. A normal day is between one and two per cent.
So far on Wednesday, 347 flights have been cancelled or did not fly.
My husband 'may not make it to say goodbye to his mother before she passes away', says Independent reader
Wednesday 9 September 2026 14:34 , Natalie WilsonPuspamathi Manogram has shared her experience of Heathrow delays with The Independent after a last-minute flight to visit her husband’s elderly mother in Sri Lanka was cancelled yesterday.
She said: “When we arrived at the airport, we were informed that the flight had been cancelled. We were simply advised to go home and contact the airline again the following day.
“This has put an immense amount of additional stress on both of us at an already incredibly difficult time. My husband is extremely anxious and worried that he may not make it in time to see his mother and say goodbye before she passes away.”
I spent 11 hours in the airport trying to get to Naples – but I made it
Wednesday 9 September 2026 14:33 , Miguel Delaney“I have finally made it to Naples for Arsenal's match against Napoli, a good 24 hours after I got to Gatwick on Tuesday,” says Miguel Delaney, The Independent’s Chief Football writer.
“After almost 11 hours in the airport – including two on the plane – Easyjet emailed through details of my changed flights at 2.15am.
“En route this morning, I checked in for the new flight only to find that the app couldn't give me a boarding pass.
“It presented a problem as I was going to have to get a physical boarding pass. Amid the mayhem. And then a train broke down, turning a 24-minute journey into a 40-minute one, before another delay on the shuttle to the north terminal.
“Easyjet staff were thankfully very quick and efficient. So, on physically being given a boarding pass at 9.42am, I somehow made it to the gate for 9.55am, exactly when it was supposed to close.”
Operations at Glasgow airport ‘still recovering’
Wednesday 9 September 2026 14:20 , Natalie WilsonPassengers have been advised to check with their airline for the latest flight information as operations recover at Glasgow airport.
The airport said: “Flights continued to operate yesterday and today, but we are expecting ongoing disruption as aircraft and crew reposition. We advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight information and to only travel if they have a confirmed flight operating today.”
Following yesterday’s technical issue affecting NATS air traffic control, our airports’ operations are recovering.
— Glasgow Airport ✈️ (@GLA_Airport) September 9, 2026
Nats says operations are 'stable' following Tuesday’s incident
Wednesday 9 September 2026 13:50 , Natalie WilsonNats, the National Air Traffic Service, said its operations are “stable” following Tuesday’s incident that led to hundreds of flight cancellations.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, the air traffic control provider said: “Our operations are stable, and we continue to work closely with airlines and airports to support their recovery from the ongoing disruption to their operations.
“We would also like to reiterate our apology to all those affected – passengers, airlines and airports – by our system issue yesterday.
“While our immediate focus is on safely managing today’s flights, a full investigation will be conducted to establish what happened and identify any further action needed.”
Nats chief still has the confidence of the government, says Downing Street
Wednesday 9 September 2026 13:26 , Sophie DickinsonThe chief of Britain’s main air traffic control provider, Martin Rolfe, still has the confidence of the government, Downing Street has said.
Asked about the disruption, the prime minister’s official spokesman told reporters: “This morning that the transport secretary Heidi Alexander met the chief of National Air Traffic Service (Nats) to raise significant concerns at the scale of disruption on behalf of both passengers and industry.
“She’s asked him to carry out a full investigation into what happened to make sure that lessons are learned.”
Asked whether Ms Alexander and the prime minister still have confidence in the Nats chief, the spokesman said: “We have confidence in him and he’s been tasked with the investigation.”
Gatwick Express lines blocked until 1.30pm
Wednesday 9 September 2026 13:18 , Natalie WilsonA broken-down train between Purley and Gatwick airport means that some Gatwick Express lines are blocked.
“As a result, trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 40 minutes or revised,” said the rail operator, with disruption expected until at least 1.30pm.
What are my rights if my flight is delayed?
Wednesday 9 September 2026 13:03 , Natalie WilsonFor delays of under two hours, you have no rights (unless a short delay in the UK triggers a missed connection and a much later arrival at your final ticketed destination).
For longer delays, the airline should provide refreshments as appropriate after a specified length of time. This applies regardless of the cause of the delay.
The time at which the duty of care kicks in depends on the distance you are flying:
- Short flights (up to 1,500km): refreshments after two hours
- Mid-haul journeys (1,500 to 3,500km): refreshments after three hours
- Longer trips: four hours
Cancelled or delayed flights: What are my rights to a refund?
'Martin Rolfe will not last as boss of Nats', says former Virgin Atlantic director
Wednesday 9 September 2026 12:52 , Alex RossMartin Rolfe, the boss of the air traffic control provider Nats, has been summoned to brief transport secretary Heidi Alexander on what caused the "technical issue" at air traffic control.
It comes three years after a glitch in Nats flight processing system caused major failure. Nats has told The Independent that yesterday's incident was not down to the same issue.
Paul Charles, former director at Virgin Atlantic and now CEO of The PC Agency, told The Independent that Mr Rolfe will likely go over a lack of investment in control systems.
He said: "It is unacceptable for a critical piece of UK national infrastructure to fall over so significantly three times within four years. And for that I think Martin Rolf will not last as CEO."
Ryanair cancelled 260 flights on Tuesday
Wednesday 9 September 2026 12:25 , Natalie WilsonRyanair cancelled 260 flights on Tuesday, leading to an immediate loss of £2.5m to £3m ($3.38m – $4.06m), its CEO Michael O'Leary told Reuters on Wednesday, after a major air traffic failure shut down departures across Britain.
“We're looking at probably (losses of) five, six million or something”, O'Leary said, adding that they expected 30 more flights to be cancelled on Wednesday as crews are in the wrong places and working the wrong hours.
Airport disruption is a sad reflection of the UK, says travel analyst
Wednesday 9 September 2026 12:19 , Sophie DickinsonSpeaking to BBC News this morning, travel and tourism advisor Anita Mendiratta said: “Nats and Martin [Rolfe] are going to have to explain what has happened, because it's not only ATC that was impacted; that issue contaminated the entire aviation infrastructure.
“This is a reflection of the UK, and this is where it's quite sad because it really questions if we want to be a global travel and trade hub. How can we do that when it's so easy for one glitch to shut down the system?
“The fear is that we're seeing signs of weakness of the system at the same time that we're wanting airport infrastructure to be growing, but it can't grow if the aircraft are vulnerable to air traffic control challenges that will cause disruptions.”
Rail Delivery Group offer flexible train tickets for affected passengers
Wednesday 9 September 2026 12:06 , Natalie WilsonRail passengers who have been affected by flight disruption can travel on a different date, use an alternative station where appropriate or apply for a refund, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) has said.
Train tickets for travelling to or from affected airports on Tuesday or Wednesday can now be used on the date of a rebooked flight.
291 flights cancelled so far today
Wednesday 9 September 2026 11:47 , Natalie WilsonAs of 11.30am, 291 flights have been cancelled at UK airports, said Cirium, the aviation analytics company.
This accounts for around five per cent of Wednesday’s 5,869 scheduled flights.
Across the two days, more than 2,000 flights have been affected.
Actor Rebel Wilson caught in Heathrow airport chaos
Wednesday 9 September 2026 11:33 , Natalie WilsonActor Rebel Wilson shared her “escape” from Heathrow airport after getting caught up in flight chaos on Tuesday.
The Australian actor posted videos of snaking queues across the airport’s terminal as a Nats “technical issue” disrupted flights.
Ryanair calls for Heidi Alexander to sack Nats CEO
Wednesday 9 September 2026 11:08 , Natalie WilsonRyanair has again called on transport minister Heidi Alexander to sack Martin Rolfe, the CEO of the UK Nats air traffic control service.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “Martin Rolfe is an overpaid (£1.4m p.a.) failure. It is time for his removal, and it is time that somebody competent was appointed to run UK ATC, which is one of Europe’s most expensive ATC systems, and yet it keeps repeatedly failing.”
Scenes at Gatwick airport this morning
Wednesday 9 September 2026 10:47 , Natalie Wilson
British Airways cancel more than 190 flights
Wednesday 9 September 2026 10:32 , Natalie WilsonBritish Airways, the biggest carrier at London Heathrow, has cancelled more than 190 flights today following the Nats outage.
BA has asked customers with cancelled flights not to come to the airport and has offered free booking amendments until Friday.
09.09.26 1000: An update for our customers pic.twitter.com/pjtPFxGot0
— British Airways (@British_Airways) September 9, 2026
What are my rights to a refund if my flight is cancelled?
Wednesday 9 September 2026 09:59 , Natalie WilsonUnder air passengers’ rights rules, travellers whose flights are departing from the UK or the EU – or on British or European airlines from anywhere in the world – have strong rights.
They are entitled to be flown to their destination as close to the original schedule as possible, on any airline with seats available, and to be provided with meals and hotels if there is a significant delay.
If you are informed about a cancellation less than two weeks ahead, and the airline cannot find an alternative close to the original timing, the presumption is that you should be given between £220 and £520 in cash compensation.
Cancelled or delayed flights: What are my rights to a refund?
Abta say 'the public will want answers' for Nats failure
Wednesday 9 September 2026 09:40 , Natalie WilsonThe UK's largest travel trade association, Abta, has issued advice for travellers with cancelled or delayed flights.
Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at Abta said: “If your flight has been delayed or cancelled, customers will have rights, which will vary depending on whether they booked their flight separately or as part of a package.
“Abta members will be supporting those booked with them to help make alternative arrangements, and we have advice on abta.com to help people understand their rights.
“While the immediate priority is supporting customers, as this isn’t the first Nats outage to cause widespread disruption, the industry and the public will want answers as to what has gone wrong, what lessons are being learned, and how the system will be made more resilient to avoid this happening again.”
Stansted says the airport is ‘operating as normal’
Wednesday 9 September 2026 09:11 , Natalie WilsonPassengers flying from Stansted airport today should continue with their journey plans. This morning, the airport said that following yesterday’s Nats air traffic control issue that caused widespread flight disruption, Stansted is “operating as normal”.
ℹ️ Information for passengers - 09.09.26 | 7:30am pic.twitter.com/Ta8CDfzXk6
— London Stansted Airport (@STN_Airport) September 9, 2026
Nats chief rules out cyber attack
Wednesday 9 September 2026 09:10 , Natalie WilsonSpeaking on the Today programme this morning, Nats chief Martin Rolfe said: “We have at this point ruled out cyber. We don't believe it was a cyber attack. Obviously, my focus and that of the team has been on both getting our system operating back up normally, which it is now.
“But there's obviously a huge tail to the disruption, and we'll be working on that through the course of today.”
