Heathrow and Gatwick among airports hit by air traffic control problems
Departures from a number of airports have been affected by a technical problem affecting air traffic control provider Nats.
Heathrow and Gatwick among airports hit by air traffic control problems
Departures at several UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, have been disrupted by a technical issue affecting air traffic control provider Nats.
At Heathrow, departures were first suspended around lunchtime. Services then restarted, before later being hit by more stop-start disruption in the afternoon. Incoming flights have continued to land normally.
Gatwick said it was currently being affected by the problem, along with other airports. East Midlands has also been affected, while Manchester Airport warned that some departing flights could be delayed.
Passengers have been told to contact their airlines to confirm the status of their flights.
In a statement, Nats said it was investigating the issue, which the BBC understands has not yet been resolved.
"We have identified that the issue was in our flight processing system. Our engineers are on site and working urgently to resume normal operations as quickly as possible," Nats said in a statement.
"Flights are still departing and airspace is open, but recovery will take some time."
The organisation apologised for the delays caused and advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline.
Edinburgh Airport said in a post on X that the issue might affect its operations.
Dublin and Cork airports in Ireland are also experiencing delays.