On July 30, 2025, Britain’s air traffic control system suffered a significant technical glitch at the NATS Swanwick control centre, prompting authorities to halt all outbound departures from major UK airports - including Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Luton, and London City to maintain safety limits.

The malfunction, suspected to involve a radar or flight-planning system failure, was addressed within approximately 20 minutes, after which NATS engineers confirmed the issue was resolved and flight operations began resuming. However, aviation stakeholders warned of knock-on delays as backlogs persisted.

During the disruption, over 3,000 scheduled flights carrying more than 577,000 passengers were impacted, as airlines paused departures to allow manual flight planning. Passengers shared frustration online, with images of grounded planes and crowded terminals.

NATS issued public apologies and worked closely with airlines and airports to minimise disruption. The Civil Aviation Authority reminded affected travelers about their rights under delay regulations. This incident highlights critical vulnerabilities in air traffic technology, echoing a similar disruption in 2023 that affected nearly 700,000 passengers.