Gatwick flights cancelled - latest: Calls for air traffic control chief to quit as Covid disruption continues

Nats chief has taken ‘no action’ to resolve air-traffic control staff shortages, Ryanair said

Simon Calder says Gatwick Airport flight cancellations due to Covid causing staff shortages

Ryanair has demanded the chief executive of air traffic control provider Nats “step down” over Covid-related staff shortages that have caused widespread disruption.

Staff sickness in the control tower meant the “flow rate” of flights using the world’s busiest runway was reduced. Fifty flights to and from Gatwick Airport were cancelled or diverted, while many other services were delayed by up to seven hours.

An estimated 8,000 passengers were left out of position, with eight flights grounded between Gatwick and Belfast – six to and from the Northern Ireland capital’s International airport, and two serving Belfast City.

“It is the most basic requirement to hire and train adequate staff numbers including standby coverage,” a statement from Ryanair read, adding that it pays Nats almost €100m (£87m) annually for air-traffic control services.

“It is clear that Nats CEO, Martin Rolfe, has taken no action to resolve these air-traffic control staff shortages and should now do the right thing and step down as Nats CEO so that someone competent can do the job. We call on the CAA to immediately intervene and protect passengers from this ongoing UK air-traffic control shambles.”

Have you been affected by cancellations? Email alexander.butler@independent.co.uk

Key Points

• Up to 42 easyJet flights have been cancelled at Gatwick
• Passenger ‘can’t believe’ lack of planning
• Ryanair promises ‘no flight cancellations’ from Gatwick airport and calls on Nats boss to quit
• Monday cancellations hit thousands of Gatwick passengers

[26 September 2023 11:40 · Alexander Butler]

Simon Calder discusses Gatwick delays and cancellations

In his daily podcast for The Independent, travel correspondent Simon Calder discusses the unprecedented cap on the number of flights at Gatwick airport due to staff sickness among air-traffic staff in the control tower.

[26 September 2023 11:25 · Alexander Butler]

‘No issues’ at London Luton airport

There are “no issues” at London Luton, according to the airport.

[26 September 2023 11:10 · Simon Calder]

Monday cancellations hit thousands of Gatwick passengers

Thousands of travellers have woken up where they did not intend to be after dozens more cancellations on Monday of flights using London Gatwick airport.

Passengers with easyJet were hardest hit, with 80 cancellations. Multiple flights to and from Amsterdam, Geneva and Venice were grounded, as well as domestic links with Belfast, Inverness and Edinburgh.

Vueling cancelled a round trip between Florence and Gatwick, while a British Airways round-trip to Nice was grounded.

Under European air passengers’ rights rules, passengers are entitled to alternative flights as soon as possible, as well as hotels and meals as necessary until they reach their destination.

[26 September 2023 10:55 · Alexander Butler]

‘No issues’ affecting London Stansted

There are ‘no issues’ affecting flight operations at London Stansted, the airport said.

[26 September 2023 10:38 · Alexander Butler]

Heathrow ‘operating as normal'

London Heathrow is “operating as normal”, the airport said.

[26 September 2023 10:14 · Simon Calder]

Passenger ‘can’t believe’ lack of planning

Daniel Wilkes, a consultant psychiatrist from Angus, was booked on the 7.15pm flight from Gatwick to Edinburgh last night. It was cancelled at 8.40pm.

He told The Independent: “I just can’t believe the lack of contingency planning from Nats for staff sickness and that this is happening again.

“Plus, airports and airlines have had quite a while to firm up their processes for cancellations, and yet always the poorly managed scrum ensues. Bizarrely, we were made to exit through border control. I didn’t even have my passport as it was a domestic flight.”

[26 September 2023 09:41 · Alexander Butler]

Up to 42 easyJet flights have been cancelled at Gatwick

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live blog. Last night, an outbreak of Covid was blamed for the third air-traffic control slowdown at London Gatwick this month.

It has led to 42 easyJet flight cancellations as staff sickness in the control tower meant the “flow rate” of flights using the world’s busiest runway was reduced.

We will be bringing you live updates as this story develops.

[20 September 2023 04:00 · Eleanor Noyce]

Over two-thirds of Brits have experienced delayed or cancelled flight

Over two-thirds of Brits have experienced a delayed flight or cancellation over the last year, data shows.

The research, by travel industry group IBS Software, also shows more than half of those affected were never told why their flights were affected.