Flights across the UK are gradually returning to normal after a major air traffic control system failure caused widespread disruption and the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights.

The technical failure at National Air Traffic Services (NATS) affected major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Luton and Stansted, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers facing cancellations and delays.

NATS chief executive Martin Rolfe has been summoned by Transport Minister Heidi Alexander to explain the failure and outline what is being done to prevent another major breakdown. Rolfe has apologised to affected passengers and said a cyberattack has been ruled out.

Airlines have strongly criticised the disruption. Ryanair said around 150,000 of its passengers were affected, while British Airways reported around 100 cancelled or diverted flights. Airlines and airports have warned that knock-on delays could continue as aircraft and crews are repositioned.

The incident has renewed questions about the resilience of Britain's aviation infrastructure, particularly after previous major technical disruptions in 2023 and 2025.