UK Air Traffic Control Outage Blamed on Software Defect, 2,000 Flights Cancelled

UK air traffic control operator NATS confirmed that a software defect in a small subsection of its flight‑data system caused last week’s outage, which cancelled 2,000 flights and forced airlines to scramble crews, aircraft and refunds. The CEO, Martin Rolfe, said the fault was triggered by a timing issue between an aircraft identification request and a higher‑priority activity, and that mitigation is now in place while a permanent fix undergoes safety testing. Transport Minister Heidi Alexander called the disruption “completely unacceptable” and ordered an independent review by the Civil Aviation Authority. Airlines, including Ryanair, have again demanded Rolfe’s resignation, citing repeated failures that cost the industry millions and highlighted weaknesses in the UK’s national infrastructure.