AirHelp: online service for passenger compensation under EU and related regimes
The Civil Aviation Authority has said the disruption from the Nats outage is likely covered by extraordinary circumstances. Passengers are unlikely to claim compensation for delays or cancellations caused by the incident. UK/EU rules require care and compensation for significant delays, with hotels and meals provided when needed. Some flights may still face compensation in cases of mechanical failure. Airlines and authorities are reviewing the implications for future disruptions.
Nats has said a millisecond software defect in its flight‑data system has caused the outage that cancelled more than 2,000 flights and disrupted hundreds of thousands of travellers. CEO Martin Rolfe has apologised; Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ordered an independent Civil Aviation Authority review and has asked Nats to report within a week.