Last updated: September 22, 2026

Passengers travelling through parts of the UK have faced flight delays and cancellations following a technical issue at the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Prestwick Centre in Scotland.

NATS said the technical issue occurred on Monday, September 21, and that air traffic regulations were applied while engineers investigated the problem. NATS later confirmed that the issue had been fixed and said it was working with airports and airlines to remove the remaining restrictions and minimise further disruption.

The disruption has affected flights across parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland, with airports including Belfast International, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle among those reported in connection with the wider disruption. Reuters reported delays at several UK airports, including Glasgow and Belfast, after the Prestwick Centre connectivity issue.

For passengers, the most important point is that a technical problem being fixed does not necessarily mean every affected flight immediately returns to its original schedule. Aircraft, crews and flight rotations can remain out of position after a disruption, creating delays later in the day.

Quick answer: Are UK flights delayed or cancelled?

Yes. Some UK flights have experienced delays and cancellations following the NATS technical issue at the Prestwick Centre.

The technical issue itself has been fixed, but residual disruption can continue while airlines and airports restore normal aircraft, crew and flight schedules. NATS has advised passengers to check directly with their airline for the latest information about their individual flight.

A disruption affecting air traffic control does not mean every flight from every UK airport will be cancelled. The impact can vary according to the airport, airline, route, departure time and available airspace capacity.

What caused the latest UK flight disruption?

NATS reported a connectivity issue involving part of its systems network specific to operations in Scotland.

To maintain safety while engineers investigated the problem, air traffic regulations were applied to manage traffic demand. NATS subsequently confirmed that the issue had been fixed and said it was working with airports and airlines to remove the remaining restrictions.

NATS also specifically stated that this incident was separate from the earlier problem experienced in September.

That distinction matters because passengers may encounter several recent UK air traffic control disruption stories in search results. They should check the date and location of an incident before relying on an older report.

Belfast International Airport: Are flights affected?

Belfast International Airport has been affected by the wider disruption.

Passengers travelling from or to Belfast International should check their individual flight status with the operating airline before travelling to the airport. Reuters reported disruption at Belfast following the NATS issue.

An airport experiencing disruption does not mean every scheduled flight will have the same outcome.

Your flight may:

• operate close to its original time;
• depart later than scheduled;
• receive a revised departure time;
• be cancelled; or
• experience a knock-on delay later in the journey.

For an individual booking, the airline’s latest flight information is more useful than relying only on a general airport disruption report.

Glasgow Airport: What passengers should know

Glasgow Airport has also experienced disruption associated with the Prestwick air traffic control issue.

Reports indicated delays affecting some departures and arrivals. Further disruption can occur when aircraft and crews are affected by earlier delays elsewhere in the network. Reuters reported Glasgow among the UK airports affected by the September 21 incident.

If you are travelling from Glasgow, check your airline’s official website, app or flight-status service before leaving for the airport.

If your flight is still showing as scheduled, continue monitoring it because aircraft rotations and air traffic restrictions can change during the recovery period.

Newcastle Airport flights

Newcastle Airport was also among the airports affected by the wider air traffic disruption.

If you are travelling from Newcastle, check:

• your airline’s latest flight status;
• your departure time;
• any messages sent by the airline;
• your connection, if you are travelling onward; and
• any revised itinerary provided after a schedule change.

A delay on the first part of a journey can become more significant when you have a short connection.

If your flights are on the same reservation, contact the airline promptly if the delay puts the onward journey at risk.

Edinburgh Airport flights

Edinburgh Airport has also experienced disruption associated with the wider air traffic control issue.

Passengers should check their flight status before travelling to the airport and continue following the latest instructions from their airline.

If your flight is delayed, do not assume that the original boarding or departure time remains unchanged. Continue checking the latest information provided by the airline.

Why can a short technical problem cause hours of flight delays?

Air travel operates as a connected network.

An aircraft scheduled to fly from one airport may have arrived there from another airport earlier in the day. The same applies to flight crews.

This can create a chain such as:

Technical issue → air traffic restrictions → delayed aircraft → delayed crew → delayed next flight → further airport disruption

This is why fixing the original technical problem does not necessarily restore every flight immediately.

A flight scheduled several hours after the original incident can still be affected if its aircraft or crew was delayed earlier.

NATS operates the Prestwick Centre as one of its UK air traffic control centres, with responsibility covering significant areas of Scottish and northern UK airspace.

What should I do if my UK flight is delayed?

If your flight is showing a delay, start with the airline’s latest information rather than travelling to the airport based only on the original schedule. If you need help understanding your available options, see our airline customer service guide 

1. Check your flight status

Use the operating airline’s official website or mobile app to check the latest departure information.

2. Check your email and phone notifications

Airlines may send revised departure times, cancellation notices or alternative itinerary information electronically.

3. Check before leaving for the airport

During widespread disruption, confirm the latest status before starting your journey.

Do not assume that a flight showing its original time several hours earlier will still operate according to that schedule.

4. Keep your booking details available

Have your:

• booking reference;
• passenger name;
• flight number;
• travel date;
• departure airport; and
• arrival airport

available if you need assistance.

5. If you are already at the airport, speak with the airline

For a same-day disruption, the airline’s airport service team can provide information about the options available for your booking.

What if my flight is cancelled?

If the airline cancels your flight, check the options provided by the carrier before purchasing a completely new ticket yourself.

Depending on the circumstances and applicable passenger-protection rules, passengers may have options involving rebooking, an alternative flight or a refund. See our flight cancellation and refund guide for general guidance.:

• rebooking;
• an alternative flight;
• a refund; or
• other assistance.

The exact rights and available options depend on factors including the airline, route, reason for the disruption and applicable regulations.

Do not assume that the same rules apply to every UK flight.

If you are affected, keep relevant booking information and receipts for reasonable expenses where applicable. However, do not assume that a separate replacement ticket or every expense will automatically be reimbursed.

What if I miss my connecting flight because of the delay?

A missed connection should be handled differently from an ordinary flight delay.

If all flights are on the same booking, contact the airline or visit its airport service desk as soon as possible.

Have your complete itinerary available so the airline can see both the delayed flight and the missed connection.

If the flights were booked separately, the situation can be more complicated because the second airline may treat the passenger as having failed to arrive for that separate flight.

For that reason, avoid immediately purchasing another ticket until you understand what options are available under the original booking.

Should I still go to the airport if my flight is delayed?

Follow the latest instructions from your airline and airport rather than making an assumption based on the original departure time.

A delay does not automatically mean that a flight has been cancelled.

If your airline tells you to proceed to the airport according to a revised schedule, follow that instruction.

If the airline specifically tells affected passengers not to travel to the airport until further information is provided, follow the airline’s instructions.

For your individual journey, the operating airline remains the key source for booking-specific information.

Once your itinerary is confirmed, review the airline’s online check-in process before travelling 

Will more UK flights be cancelled?

It is not possible to say that every airport or flight will be affected.

NATS confirmed that the September 21 technical issue was fixed and said it was working with airports and airlines to remove the remaining restrictions.

However, network disruption can continue after the original technical problem has been resolved.

Passengers should therefore check their own flight rather than assuming that a general airport update applies to every departure.

Which UK airports have been affected?

The latest disruption has affected parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland.

Airports reported in connection with the disruption include:

• Belfast International Airport
• Glasgow Airport
• Edinburgh Airport
• Newcastle Airport
• Manchester Airport
• other airports affected by the wider network disruption

The severity and timing of the impact can differ between airports and individual flights.

How can passengers reduce the impact of flight disruption?

Passengers cannot prevent an air traffic control disruption, but a few practical steps can reduce the inconvenience.

Before leaving home

• Check your latest flight status.
• Read the airline’s latest notification.
• Keep your booking reference accessible.
• Charge your phone.
• Keep the airline’s app available if you use one.
• Allow additional time if your airport is reporting disruption.

If you have a connection

• Monitor both flights.
• Check your revised connection time.
• Keep the complete itinerary available.
• Contact the airline promptly if the first flight is delayed.

If your flight is cancelled

• Check the airline’s rebooking options first.
• Review refund information that applies to your journey.
• Keep receipts for reasonable expenses where relevant.
• Do not assume a separately purchased replacement ticket will automatically be reimbursed.
• Check the passenger-rights rules applicable to your specific journey.

Is this the same as the earlier September UK flight disruption?

No. NATS specifically stated that the September 21 Prestwick Centre connectivity issue was unrelated to the earlier September incident.

The earlier September incident involved a different technical problem. NATS’s preliminary report said the September 8 disruption was caused by a software defect in a specific part of its flight-data system.

This distinction is important because multiple disruption stories can appear in search results at the same time.

Passengers should identify the date, airport and flight involved before relying on an older report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final takeaway

The latest UK flight disruption began with a connectivity issue affecting NATS operations at the Prestwick Centre in Scotland. NATS has confirmed that the technical issue was fixed, but the resulting network disruption can continue to affect individual flights while aircraft, crews and schedules return to normal.

Passengers travelling through Belfast International Airport, Glasgow Airport, Newcastle Airport or Edinburgh Airport should therefore check their individual flight status rather than relying only on general reports about airport disruption.

If your flight is delayed or cancelled, check the airline’s latest instructions, keep your booking details available and review the available rebooking or refund options before making separate travel arrangements.

FlyTripInfo is an independent third-party travel information website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any airline, airport or air traffic control provider. Flight schedules and disruption information can change quickly. Travelers should verify the latest flight status and applicable travel arrangements directly with their airline and airport before travelling.

Information in this article reflects publicly available information checked on September 22, 2026. Flight status and airport operations can change without notice.