Flights resume across UK after major air traffic control failure

30 July 2025 , 17:08

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Flights resume across UK after major air traffic control failure

Flights have resumed at all major UK airports after the air traffic control service experienced a ‘technical issue’ that grounded hundreds of planes.

Problems at Swanwick Centre, which manages air traffic over much of England and Wales, caused hundreds of flights to be grounded this afternoon.

London’s airspace was closed to flights for safety reasons, with the departure board for Heathrow going completely blank.

Nats, the air traffic control provider, has since confirmed that all departures at airports, including Heathrow and Stansted, have resumed.

Travel officials and experts, however, say that the chaos will likely stretch for many more hours, with flights delayed and cancelled.

‘It’s an unbelievable meltdown,’ said travel journalist Simon Calder

Sophia Martinez

World Affairs Correspondent