Disruptions to air traffic across United Kingdom
London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports, two of the busiest in the UK and the world, are currently experiencing delays due to technical issues at the air traffic control centre in Swanwick.
The specific technical issue was a fault with their radar or IT system that caused a temporary outage on 30 July 2025. This outage, which lasted about 20 minutes, forced the air traffic control authorities, NATS, to limit the number of aircraft flying in the London control area for safety reasons. As a result, more than 150 flights across UK airports, including Edinburgh and Heathrow, were cancelled or delayed.
The disruption affected both departures and arrivals, causing inbound flights to be diverted or placed in holding patterns. Despite the system being restored quickly, a significant backlog of flights means ongoing delays and disruption for several days as airports and airlines work to clear the disruption safely.
Passengers are advised to check with their airline before traveling, as the delays are not yet resolved and may be causing inconvenience. The process to resume normal operations in London's airspace is underway, but many flights are still being held back.
At Heathrow, many aircraft are on their way to the runway but are not taking off at their usual pace. The delays are not limited to the takeoff process, as the aircraft are also observed to be delayed while on their way to the runway. The delays may also be affecting the usual pace of operations at the airport.
The technical issues at the Swanick control centre have now been resolved, according to NATS, but the effects are still being felt at the airports. The exact system affected remains unclear, but the incident serves as a reminder of the critical role air traffic control plays in ensuring safe and efficient air travel.
NATS issued an initial statement confirming the problem causing the delays in UK air traffic, but the cause of the initial issue has not been disclosed. The delays are not limited to a specific type of aircraft, affecting all flights in the London control area.
London, being one of the world's largest aviation hubs, is a crucial link in the global air travel network. The ongoing delays at Heathrow and Gatwick are causing disruptions to flight schedules and may have wider implications for the travel industry.
As the situation continues to develop, passengers are encouraged to stay updated with their airline's latest information and to plan their travel accordingly.
Technology played a significant role in the recent disruption at London's airports, as a fault with the radar or IT system at the Swanwick air traffic control centre caused a temporary outage on 30 July 2025. Due to safety reasons, this outage led to the cancellation or delay of more than 150 sports flights across UK airports, including football matches likely to take place at venues such as Wembley and Old Trafford, being postponed or rescheduled.
