The British government, in collaboration with airlines, is actively addressing the predicament of stranded passengers across European airports as a widespread air traffic control glitch disrupts flights, with the impact anticipated to linger for days.
On Monday, more than 1,500 flights were cancelled, coinciding with a public holiday in certain parts of Britain. This occurrence, coupled with the conclusion of school holidays, marked one of the busiest travel days. The disruption arose when air traffic controllers had to revert to manual systems due to a technical malfunction.
Consequently, numerous passengers found themselves marooned at airports in Europe and beyond. Maria Ball, a holidaymaker from Liverpool, recounted her experience of enduring a seven to eight-hour airport ordeal. She lamented being left stranded, sharing her story of being rerouted from one Paris airport to Charles De Gaulle, necessitating an arduous journey home.
While the issue was rectified a few hours after its onset on Monday, the disruption persisted due to the subsequent jumble in airline schedules. Mark Harper, the transport secretary, cautioned that resolving the situation would take days as flight cancellations led to logistical disarray.
Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, criticized Britain’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS), emphasizing their lack of communication and failure to elucidate the cause of the failure or the status of backup systems.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledged public frustration and assured ongoing communication with industry stakeholders to facilitate swift resolution. Harper dismissed the possibility of a cyberattack as the cause of the technical issue.
Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, reported that 790 departing flights from British airports and 785 incoming flights were cancelled on Monday, impacting over a quarter of the country’s air traffic.
British Airways pledged to restore operations and provided passengers on short-haul routes with the option to change flight dates without additional charges. EasyJet stated that the ripple effects prompted some cancellations on Tuesday.
Heathrow Airport, the nation’s busiest, advised travelers to consult their airlines before heading to the airport on Tuesday to account for potential disruptions.
