UK Flights Disrupted as NATS Technical Issue Hits Departures
A technical issue at air traffic control provider NATS disrupted departing flights from airports across Britain on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, while arriving flights were not affected at the time of Heathrow Airport’s statement.
Heathrow said NATS was experiencing a technical problem that was affecting departures at UK airports. The airport said it was supporting its local NATS team as efforts continued to resolve the issue.
“Arriving flights are not currently impacted,” Heathrow said in a statement, adding that it would share further updates as they became available.
NATS manages air traffic across UK airspace and provides services at several of the country’s major airports. The disruption therefore affected flight departures beyond Heathrow, although the statement did not specify the number of airports, flights or passengers involved.
Heathrow apologised to affected passengers and advised them to check directly with their airline for the latest information. Airlines were expected to provide passengers with updates on individual flight status, departure times and any operational changes.
The airport did not provide a specific timeline for restoring normal operations. Further details on the technical issue and its impact were awaited from NATS and the affected airports.
