London’s Heathrow Airport has reportedly resumed flights after a major air traffic control glitch caused disruptions at local airports on Wednesday.
According to The Telegraph, London’s airspace was closed for over an hour due to technical issues reportedly caused by a radar failure. The issue created a backlog of flight delays at Heathrow – the nation’s busiest airport – as well as London’s Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport.
After the incident, U.K. Transportation Secretary Heidi Alexander said on social media that a “technical issue” impacting the nation’s NATS air traffic control operations was to blame.
“I have been informed systems have now been restored but continued disruption is expected, and passengers should check with individual airports for advice,” she said.
NATS published an update stating that its Swanwick air traffic control center was impacted by technical issues, spurring the company to limit the number of aircraft flying in the London area to ensure safety.
“We apologise for any delays this may cause,” NATS stated. “Our engineers are working hard to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and we are working closely with airlines to help minimise disruption.”
NATS has since stated that all of its systems are now fully operational and air traffic capacity is returning to normal.
The exact cause of the glitch has not yet been disclosed.
