Live reporting – updates to follow
There are flight delays in Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of England this morning after an air traffic control problem disrupted services.
A Flight Data Processing System failure at Prestwick air traffic control centre is restricting capacity in Socttish-controlled airspace by 60 percent.
The Prestwick Centre is responsible for handling air traffic across Northern England, Scotland and into the northeast Atlantic, impacting air traffic moving between the US and Northern Europe.
The issue is reportedly unrelated to the situation that occurred across the UK earlier this month and resulted in substantial disruption, including more than 2,000 flights being cancelled.
An updated statement from a NATS spokesperson stated, “The issue in our Prestwick centre is now fixed. We are working with airports and airlines to safely lift air traffic regulations as quickly as we can to minimise any further disruption. Passengers should still check the status of their flight with their airline. We apologise for the disruption.”
After previously confirming the disruption was primarily across Scotland and the North of England, “Airports south of Manchester are broadly unaffected, however flights heading north and flights departing Scottish airports are currently subject to some delay.”
Pawel Jarza, Policy, Compliance and External Affairs Director at British International Freight Association (BIFA) commented, “It is concerning to see news reported today that flights in Scotland and parts of Northern England have been disrupted by further air traffic control issues.
“We know from the recent Heathrow air traffic control issue that disruptions of this kind extend far beyond passengers. Any cancellations, delays and diversions can risk compromising the movement of goods that rely on air freight and impact the businesses that depend on them. With supply chains already under pressure from multiple global challenges, disruptions of this scale result in delays and uncertainty leaving freight forwarders and their customers with very limited control over the movement of their goods.
“Air freight is particularly important for goods that are perishable, high-value or urgently needed. These can include fresh produce, medical supplies, and critical components for the automotive, technology and manufacturing sectors. BIFA members will be working closely with airlines, ground handlers, Customs and their international networks to prioritise shipments, assess alternative routes and keep customers informed as the situation changes.
“Reliable air connectivity is essential not only for passengers, but for the supply chains and businesses that depend on Scottish and UK airports as major cargo gateways.”
Local airport Glasgow Prestwick (PIK) also commented on the ongoing developments with a spokesperson for the airport confirming, “NATS and its Prestwick Centre are separate from Glasgow Prestwick Airport. We are aware of the technical issue affecting NATS operations. Our air traffic control team is working to minimise disruption to airport operations and we will provide further information directly to affected customers as soon as it is available.”
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Author: Edward Hardy
