Flights across Ireland and the UK were thrown into disarray after a technical failure at Britain’s air traffic control provider caused widespread cancellations and delays, before the problem was resolved late in the evening.
Nats, which manages air traffic control services in the UK, said it had experienced a “system issue” that disrupted a large number of departures from major British airports. The fault was resolved at approximately 7.30pm.
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“We are operating normally and working as hard as possible to clear the backlog of flights,” the organisation said in a statement on X.
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 reported that almost 1,100 flights arriving at or departing from UK airports had been cancelled. By 8pm, it said, the number of cancellations had reached 1,055.
By 7pm, Dublin Airport had recorded 43 cancelled departures and 30 cancelled arrivals.
The airport also warned that some flights operating in and out of Dublin were facing delays.
In a post on X, Dublin Airport said it expected flights to and from the capital to operate on close to a full schedule on Wednesday.
It cautioned, however, that some disruption could continue because aircraft had been displaced during the disruption.
“Passengers should continue to check directly with their airline for latest updates on the status of their flight,” it said.
Passenger Update – 22.45
With air traffic control issues in the UK having been resolved, we are expecting close to a full schedule of flights to operate to/from Dublin Airport on Wednesday.
The potential for some disruption remains possible due to the displacement of aircraft.… pic.twitter.com/xiygqARmre
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) September 8, 2026
Shannon Airport also saw a number of cancellations as the disruption spread across routes linking Ireland and the UK.
Cancelled services included a 4.10pm Ryanair flight from Birmingham Airport to Shannon, a Ryanair flight scheduled to leave Shannon for Birmingham at 4.35pm, an Aer Lingus service from London Heathrow to Shannon due at 8.35pm, and an Aer Lingus flight to London Heathrow scheduled for 9.15pm.
A spokesperson said: “Further disruption is possible as the situation remains ongoing and passengers are advised to contact their airlines directly for the latest flight information.”
Nine flights in and out of Cork Airport had been cancelled earlier in the evening, while a number of other services were delayed.
Barry Holland, Communications Manager for Cork Airport, said: “Cork Airport has experienced some cancellations and a number of delays as a result of air traffic control issues in the UK.
“Our advice to passengers travelling to and from Cork Airport for the remainder of today is to check the most up to date flights status with their airline directly.”
Belfast City Airport said on X that “there may be some disruption to flights due to arrive in and depart” from the airport.
Passengers waiting at Gatwick Airport’s south terminal after the cancellations
Ryanair said more than 65,000 passengers had been affected by the disruption.
The airline said it had cancelled more than 50 scheduled flights because of the technical problem, while some passengers faced delays lasting as long as eight hours.
Birmingham Airport said the failure was affecting airspace in southern Britain and was “impacting a significant number of departing flights across the country”.
Heathrow Airport, the UK’s largest airport, confirmed that it had also been affected, saying the problem was “impacting arriving and departing flights across UK airports”.
Manchester Airport Group, which operates Manchester Airport, Stansted Airport in Essex and East Midlands Airport in Leicestershire, said flights at all three airports had been disrupted.
Jersey Airport in the Channel Islands, London City Airport, London Southend, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports also reported disruption.
Pilgrims to Lourdes ‘exhausted’, ‘frustrated’ over delays
More than 100 people due to travel to Lourdes on a pilgrimage at 1pm were delayed at Dublin Airport as a result of the air traffic control failure.
Fr Joe McDermott from Newbridge said the group was exhausted, hungry and deeply frustrated after spending five hours on the tarmac aboard their chartered aircraft before eventually being disembarked.
Fr Mark English of Kells parish said the group included many elderly people and passengers with special needs, including some who use wheelchairs.
Fr McDermott said passengers had received no information about their delayed flight and had been given no indication of when, or whether, an alternative service to Lourdes would be available.
Three flights were scheduled to leave that day as part of the Meath pilgrimage. One departed successfully, but two further incoming flights from Lourdes were cancelled.
Additional reporting PA
