At our 17:53 BST check on 9 September, NATS’ latest statement described its operations as stable while acknowledging continuing disruption for airlines and airports. UK airspace is open; whether your journey goes ahead depends on your individual flight.
If you have an upcoming booking, check it directly with your airline before changing your plans. British Airways has announced flexibility for travel on 9–10 September, while passengers on other airlines need to check their own carrier’s arrangements.
How widespread is the disruption?
More than 330,000 passengers had been affected, according to Airlines UK figures reported by Sky News on 9 September. The industry body reported more than 1,000 cancellations and a further 1,000-plus delayed flights.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted were among the airports affected. Problems also reached regional UK airports and services to and from Dublin, illustrating how an air traffic disruption can affect journeys beyond the country where it starts.
Aircraft and crews displaced by the disruption still need to reach the airports where their next flights start. That is why fixing the technical fault does not immediately restore every departure.
Should you change a trip planned for the next few days?
We would base that decision on your flight’s status, your airline’s flexibility and how much a late arrival would affect your trip. The disruption alone is not a reason to cancel a journey scheduled later in September.
| Your travel plans | What to do now |
|---|---|
| Flying on 9 or 10 September | Check the operating airline’s booking page and disruption notice. Review any free-change offer before paying to move your flight. |
| Flying later in the week | Keep your reservation under review. Check again the evening before departure and before leaving for the airport. |
| Flight already cancelled | Review replacement travel and refund options before accepting either. If you still need to travel, ask about rerouting first. |
| Connecting through a UK airport | Check both sectors and whether your airline has issued a revised itinerary. Reassess separately booked trains, transfers and hotels. |
British Airways said it was operating almost 80% of its schedule on 9 September. Its current travel notice allows passengers who no longer wish to fly on Wednesday 9 September or Thursday 10 September to move their flight free of charge for travel up to Sunday 13 September.
That offer is specific to British Airways. Check the options available in your booking, including replacement-seat availability, before changing hotels or transport.
Neither NATS’ statement nor BA’s update provides a single deadline by which every affected journey will be back to normal.
Before leaving for the airport
Check your flight number with the airline operating the service, especially if your ticket was sold by a partner airline. Use the airport’s departure board as an additional check.
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Keep the airline’s arrival and check-in instructions. Unless it tells you otherwise, do not turn up late simply because a departure is showing a delay.
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If the flight is cancelled, check the instructions before travelling to the terminal. BA explicitly asks customers with cancelled flights not to come to the airport.
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Save your booking reference, revised itinerary and messages offline. Keep your phone charged and essential medication in your cabin bag.
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Tell your hotel or transfer provider if your arrival changes. Ask about late check-in and amendment deadlines before a missed arrival creates another problem.
Visitors arriving from abroad may also need to manage rebooking after leaving airport Wi-Fi. Arrange how you will get internet access in the UK before departure, and retain offline copies of essential details.
What if you miss a connection?
Check whether your flights are on ticket or were purchased separately. BA says it will automatically rebook travel when a delay threatens a connection on the same ticket; check the revised itinerary in Manage My Booking.
Separate bookings need closer attention. Under the CAA’s guidance on self-transfer journeys, a delay on booking does not create an automatic statutory right to transport to the final destination on another booking. Rights for each individual flight still apply.
Contact the airline and check any booking-provider or insurance protection before buying another ticket. If a proposed replacement involves entering the UK or changing airports, verify entry requirements and the transfer time before accepting it.
Refunds, meals, hotels and compensation
UK passenger protections cover departures from UK airports on any airline, arrivals into the UK on UK or EU airlines, and arrivals into the EU on UK airlines. Other journeys may fall under different rules.
Cancelled flights: You can choose a refund for unused travel or an alternative journey. If you still want to go, discuss the earliest suitable rerouting before accepting a refund. The CAA’s cancellation guidance explains that a significantly earlier option may involve another airline or another suitable form of transport.
Long delays: On covered flights, care begins after the applicable two-, three- or four-hour threshold, depending on distance. This includes refreshments, communication and necessary overnight accommodation with transport. After a delay of at least five hours, you can abandon the journey and request a refund for unused flights.
If the airline cannot arrange necessary care, keep itemised receipts for reasonable expenses you pay yourself. Avoid luxury accommodation or unnecessary spending.
Fixed compensation is separate. An air traffic control failure may qualify as an extraordinary circumstance, so a disrupted flight does not automatically mean a cash compensation payment. That does not remove applicable care or refund rights. Ask the airline for the specific reason affecting your flight and consult the CAA’s compensation guidance if its explanation is unclear.