# UK air traffic control fails again in two weeks

> A second major technical glitch at Britain's air traffic control system in as many weeks has grounded flights and sparked calls for leadership change.
- Title: UK air traffic control fails again in two weeks · BBC News
- Summary: A second major technical glitch at Britain's air traffic control system in as many weeks has grounded flights and sparked calls for leadership change…
- Keywords: nats, air traffic control, flight disruption, technical failure, prestwick, easyjet, ryanair, british airways, martin rolfe, aviation, connectivity issue, air
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqp80p78mxx5o
- Published: 2026-09-21T13:16:38.927+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: nats, air traffic control, uk, flight disruption, technical failure, prestwick, easyjet, ryanair, british airways, martin rolfe, aviation, connectivity issue
## Second air traffic control failure in two weeks
A connectivity issue at Nats Prestwick Centre on Monday caused major disruption across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. This is the second major technical problem in as many weeks.
## 150 flights cancelled, thousands affected
More than 150 flights were cancelled on Monday, with EasyJet losing 48 of its 670 scheduled departures. Ryanair reported 140 affected flights and 25,000 stranded passengers.
## Airlines demand urgent reform
Wizz Air called for urgent reform and questioned Nats leadership. Ryanair reiterated calls for chief Martin Rolfe to resign, saying he failed to deliver a reliable system or effective backup.

> We need to look at the leadership at the top. But more than that, what are the board of directors doing?
## Prime Minister flags serious concerns
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the recurring issues cause even greater concern about UK air traffic control. He said the transport secretary is investigating why failures keep happening.
## Passengers unlikely to get compensation
The Civil Aviation Authority said technical failures are likely considered extraordinary circumstances, meaning passengers won't be entitled to compensation even though airlines must look after them.
## Families' holidays and meetings disrupted
Nicole McCloskey's family had their Disneyland Paris trip cancelled. Rebecca Freeman missed a business meeting for the second time after being stranded at Bristol Airport.
## Prestwick handles 42 percent of UK traffic
The Prestwick control centre manages airspace across northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, handling about 42 percent of the UK's air traffic. The other centre at Swanwick handles the south.
## Last month's glitch was even worse
The Swanwick incident earlier this month affected hundreds of thousands of passengers on intercontinental flights, with some sleeping on airport floors. That software defect happened in a millisecond.
## Airlines say they're bearing the costs
Behind the scenes, airlines are furious that disruption keeps happening and they must bear the costs of refunding passengers and looking after those affected by delays.
## Independent review underway
The Civil Aviation Authority is conducting an independent review into the resilience of the UK's air traffic control system. Results will be published within six months.
## Key takeaway

Repeated failures at the UK's air traffic control system are causing widespread disruption and raising serious questions about its resilience and management.