Heathrow Hit By Flight Cancellations After Air Traffic Control Woes
Heathrow Airport faced at least 16 flight cancellations following technical issues with the UK's air traffic control system. This disruption, impacting various airports including Gatwick and Edinburgh, follows previous issues within the National Air Traffic Services. Calls for NATS leadership accountability have emerged amidst enduring operational challenges.
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- United Kingdom
On Thursday, Heathrow Airport cancelled at least 16 flights in the aftermath of technical troubles with Britain's air traffic control system. The disruption followed widespread issues on Wednesday that affected airports across the UK, bringing aviation operations to a halt for hours.
The National Air Traffic Services (NATS), overseeing UK airspace management, reported a return to normalcy after resorting to a backup system. Nevertheless, the glitch impacted several major locations, including Gatwick and Edinburgh, tallying 122 flight cancellations by Wednesday evening.
Amidst demands for accountability, Ryanair's Chief Operating Officer, Neal McMahon, criticized NATS' handling of the situation and urged CEO Martin Rolfe to resign. This incident adds to a series of operational challenges faced by Heathrow, which earlier this year saw a power sub-station fire disrupt services.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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