Technical Failure Causes Travel Chaos in UK: Hundreds of Flights Delayed or Canceled
Technical failure disrupts air travel across the UK, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or canceled. Authorities attribute the issue to flight data problems, ruling out a cyberattack. Passengers express frustration and uncertainty. Airlines and authorities are working to restore normal operations.
A technical failure caused chaos for air travelers across the UK on Monday, with hundreds of flights delayed or canceled. The issue, which occurred on one of the busiest days for air travel, was attributed to problems with flight data received by Britain's national air traffic controllers and was not the result of a cyberattack, according to authorities. Transport Secretary Mark Harper described the incident as the worst of its kind in nearly a decade and estimated that it would take several days to fully restore normal operations and transport affected passengers to their intended destinations.
The National Air Traffic Services stated that initial investigations indicate that the problem originated from some of the flight data received. However, it did not provide specific details on the cause of the disruption. In response, the primary and backup systems suspended automatic processing to prevent any incorrect safety-related information from reaching air traffic controllers or impacting the overall air traffic system. Aviation analytics firm Cirium reported that a total of 790 departures and 785 arrivals were canceled across all UK airports on Monday.
The ripple effects of the disruption continued to affect dozens of passengers on Tuesday, with at least 32 departures and 31 arrivals canceled at Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport. British Airways, which operates the most flights to and from Heathrow, was the worst-hit airline. Gatwick, London's second-busiest airport, also experienced similar problems on Tuesday. Passengers caught in the chaos expressed their frustration and shared their harrowing experiences. Katrina Harrison and her family, including her 1-year-old twin grandchildren, endured a night without food or beds at Leeds Bradford Airport after their flight to Turkey was canceled on Monday.
The lack of available hotels and the inability to retrieve their vehicle from the car park added to their predicament. Despite their hopes of getting on a flight Tuesday night, they faced the possibility of having to return home. Authorities and airlines are working tirelessly to resolve the situation and get air travel operations back on track as soon as possible. In the meantime, affected passengers are advised to stay in touch with their airlines for updates and alternative travel arrangements.