Flight delays reported across UK due to air traffic control failure

On Monday, September 21, 2026, air travel across the United Kingdom experienced significant disruptions due to a technical failure within the National Air Traffic Services (NATS). The issue originated at the air traffic control center in Prestwick, Scotland, causing delays specifically affecting airports in Manchester, Glasgow, and Belfast. While operations at airports south of Manchester remained largely unaffected, flights heading north and departures from Scottish airports faced notable scheduling setbacks.

NATS officials clarified that this incident is unrelated to the major system failure that occurred two weeks prior, which resulted in the cancellation of approximately 2,000 flights. While authorities are currently working to address the malfunction and restore normal operations, the recurrence of such technical issues within a short timeframe has sparked concerns regarding the long-term reliability and stability of the national aviation infrastructure.