Nats outage grounds UK flights; a review of resilience and leadership follows, as ministers demand answers and a plan to restore service.
Nats has identified a technical fault in its flight‑processing system and engineers have been working to restore services since Tuesday. Departures at Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen have experienced delays and cancellations; airports warn knock‑on disruption will continue today, and passengers are advised to check with their airline.
A technical fault in the UK's air traffic flight‑processing system has caused widespread delays and cancellations across 15 airports since Tuesday, affecting more than 330,000 passengers. NATS has said the system issue has been resolved; airlines are rebooking travellers while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has ordered an independent review and pressed NATS' chief to explain the failure.
The UK’s air-traffic system has faced a fourth major fault in three years, disrupting thousands of flights. The government orders an independent Civil Aviation Authority review; ministers say safety remains the priority while questions over resilience persist and airlines demand accountability.
National Air Traffic Services has identified a fault in its flight processing system causing widespread airline disruption across major UK airports. After an initial outage, recovery efforts are underway but officials warn disruptions could persist for days.
The John Lewis Partnership has reported a pre-tax loss of £124m for the six months to August 1, widening from £88m the previous year, while Waitrose sales rise and department stores dip. The group cites a challenging trading environment, transformation costs, and higher national insurance as key factors, with caution on the second half ahead of peak Christmas trading.