UK's second-busiest lower-cost hub serving southern England
South East Water has left up to 7,000 properties around Tunbridge Wells with low pressure, intermittent supply or no water after a temporary instrument failure at a local treatment works over the weekend. The company has apologised, opened bottled water stations and used tankers while storage tanks top up; Ofwat has ordered a a330.5m improvement package.
Gatwick Airport has launched Stanley Robotics’ robotic parking system at its South Terminal, allowing drivers to drop off cars in a private cabin where robots lift and park them. The service, which supports most standard cars, aims to cut drop-off times and free up terminal space, with first passengers using it this August.
The new British prime minister has announced measures to ease living costs, including a VAT cut on energy bills, a bus fare cap, and targeted relief for pubs and venues. The moves are designed to buy breathing space while officials assess funding for broader promises, with questions about how the measures will be financed.
The Civil Aviation Authority has allowed Heathrow Airport Limited to recoup 320 million pounds spent on its third-runway plan by raising airline charges, a move likely to be passed on to travellers. A rival scheme, Heathrow West, is authorised to recover 4.1 million pounds. The decision caps costs and projects a small rise in passenger charges from 2028 onward.
Public data show overcrowding remains an issue on key commuter routes in England and Wales, with load factors exceeding 170% on several services last autumn. Authorities say capacity improvements and new timetables are underway to ease pressure while fares and service quality are under scrutiny.
Courts have dismissed legal challenges to Gatwick’s £2.2bn expansion and to Luton’s growth plans. Gatwick’s plan will deliver more flights and jobs while Luton’s project aims to nearly double passenger numbers by mid‑2040s. Campaigners warn of noise and climate impacts as officials push ahead with delivery by 2030 and beyond.
A major blaze at Caldyne Business Park near Crawley has damaged hundreds of vehicles, cut power to thousands of homes and businesses, and prompted an arson investigation. Authorities say eight fire engines and water carriers tackled the scene; a 67-year-old man is in custody on suspicion of arson and has been bailed.
An unknown man has died in the landing gear compartment of an Air Arabia plane from Tangier, prompting an inquest in Horsham. Post-mortem results list cardiac arrest, hypoxia, and hypothermia as the causes of death and coroner Turner has said the death is likely unnatural.
Gatwick Airport reports half-year pre-tax profits of £136.5 million, down 18% on the prior year as passenger numbers dip amid Middle East conflict and fuel concerns. Long-haul travel falls while short-haul remains pressured; expansion plans for a second runway move forward after a Court of Appeal ruling.
A fire at a third-party car parking site near Crawley has damaged about 140 vehicles and led to the arrest of a 67-year-old man on suspicion of arson. The incident disrupted operations for passengers using Sapphire Parking and affected power to local businesses.
National Air Traffic Services has identified a fault in its flight-processing system and has implemented a fix after pausing some departures on Tuesday. The outage has caused widespread cancellations and delays at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Scottish airports; recovery is continuing and airlines are warning of knock-on disruption today, 15 Sep 2026.
A technical fault in National Air Traffic Services' flight processing system has caused mass cancellations and delays across UK airports on 8–9 September 2026. NATS has said it has fixed the error and apologised; airlines and passengers are still clearing a backlog that has affected more than 330,000 travellers and forced an independent review ordered by the transport secretary.
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.
The National Air Traffic Services fault has disrupted UK flights nationwide, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers with Heathrow, Gatwick and other hubs hit. Disruptions have stabilized but fresh scrutiny of Nats follows, as airlines weigh costs and passengers seek refunds.
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.
Disruptions across UK airspace linked to Prestwick and Swanwick faults have continued to trigger flight cancellations and delays. Airlines call for leadership changes as regulators review the incidents and outline steps to improve resilience.
An Ethiopian Airlines cargo flight has turned back to Addis Ababa after Israeli authorities refused it permission to land because the pilot is an Indonesian national. The aircraft dumped fuel over the sea, returned to Addis Ababa where the pilot was replaced, and later landed in Tel Aviv. The move follows tightened Israeli rules on foreign crew after a flydubai copilot attack.