Software glitch in the UK triggers airport chaos across Kanaren

A software glitch at the UK’s air traffic control organisation, NATS, has caused chaos to the Canary Islands flight schedule. Flights between the islands and the UK were cancelled or departed late. Amongst others, services to London Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol and Glasgow were affected.

There was a shortage of aircraft and crews on the Canary Islands routes, as they were stranded away from their home bases due to the disruption. Technicians identified the fault in NATS’s flight processing system on Tuesday. At 5 pm UK time, FlightRadar24 recorded at least 425 cancelled flights nationwide, including 137 with easyJet, 111 with British Airways, 26 with KLM, 22 with Eurowings and 21 with Ryanair.

Other analyses put the figures significantly higher: according to the analytics firm Cirium, there were in fact more than 2,000 disrupted flights. Of these, more than 1,750 were reportedly cancelled. On Wednesday, at least a further 250 flights were cancelled; Heathrow alone reported 246 cancellations early in the morning.

Flight chaos in the UK: Ryanair calls for action

The service provider «AirNav Radar» recorded 1,012 delayed flights on Tuesday, 1,226 delays and 293 cancellations on Wednesday. NATS stated on Wednesday that the problem within its own system had now been resolved and that operations were running normally. It added that it was working to clear the backlog of flights. The operator has ruled out a cyber-attack for the time being and has launched an investigation into the cause. Transport Minister Heidi Alexander convened a crisis meeting with the head of the air traffic control operator.

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair put the number of affected passengers at 65,000. In a further statement, the company cited around 150,000 affected passengers following the cancellation of more than 200 flights. Chief Operating Officer Neal McMahon called for the resignation of NATS Chief Executive Martin Rolfe, citing repeated mismanagement. Rolfe, for his part, apologised for the consequences of the disruption. Transport Minister Alexander said: «I know this will be frustrating for passengers and I’m sorry.»

EasyJet offered affected passengers a free rebooking or a refund. Free meals and a hotel room were also provided. British Airways cancelled or diverted around 100 flights.

Recurring problems with UK air traffic control

With more than 84 million passengers, Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport. Further disruption was announced there, as long as airlines had to reposition aircraft and crews. Travellers were also advised not to go to the terminal until their flight had been confirmed. Gatwick stated that a full return to normality would take time.

NATS provides air traffic control services at 15 British airports. The British Government holds 50 per cent of the company’s capital. In July 2025, a technical fault at a control centre near London caused dozens of delays and cancellations; in August 2023, the system suffered a widespread breakdown.

Cancelled flights to the Canary Islands: assistance and rebooking remain mandatory

Under EU air passenger rights, in the event of a cancellation, the airline must offer a rebooking onto the next available flight to the destination. In addition, adequate refreshments must be provided whilst passengers are waiting. If an overnight stay is necessary, the airline must also arrange for accommodation and transport, as well as provide regular updates on the status of the disruption.

The service must not, under any circumstances, be limited to a mere ticket refund if alternative means of transport are available. In exceptional circumstances, such as air traffic control issues, the obligation to pay compensation may be waived; however, this does not affect the right to assistance and rebooking in any way. Passengers should check the flight status with the airline and keep hold of tickets, correspondence and receipts for any additional expenses.

The United Kingdom is the most important source market for tourism in the Canary Islands. Germany comes second.