By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) – Thousands of air travelers in the UK are facing severe flight delays and cancellations on Monday due to technical problems with the country's air traffic control system.
National Air Traffic Services (NATS) has confirmed the problem and is actively working to identify and rectify the fault.
NATS, which is responsible for ensuring the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in UK airspace, has emphasized that the "airspace is not closed," but traffic restrictions have been implemented as a precautionary measure to ensure safety during this challenging situation.
As of now, the company has not disclosed specific details regarding the cause of the fault or provided a precise estimate for when normal operations are expected to resume. This lack of information has left both passengers and airlines in a state of uncertainty.
Numerous airports across the UK have issued warnings about significant delays and cancellations, impacting travelers' plans. Airlines such as Ryanair, EasyJet, Virgin, and Aer Lingus have also reported disruptions to their services.
The Glasgow-based airline Loganair warned passengers to expect further delays, stating on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “there has been a network-wide failure of UK air traffic control computer systems this morning.
"Although we are hopeful of being able to operate most intra-Scotland flights on the basis of local coordination and with a minimum of disruption, north-south and international flights maybe subject to delays."