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| Airport disruption: Flights recover after Nats system failure | Airport disruption: Flights recover after Nats system failure |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Airports are returning to normal, apart from a small number of flight cancellations at Heathrow, the day after a computer failure at the UK's air traffic control centre. | Airports are returning to normal, apart from a small number of flight cancellations at Heathrow, the day after a computer failure at the UK's air traffic control centre. |
| National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said a technical fault in the flight data system at its Swanwick centre, in Hampshire, had caused the problem. | National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said a technical fault in the flight data system at its Swanwick centre, in Hampshire, had caused the problem. |
| This resulted in widespread disruption at airports around the UK on Friday. | This resulted in widespread disruption at airports around the UK on Friday. |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the situation was "unacceptable". | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the situation was "unacceptable". |
| The Swanwick centre was restored to "full operational capacity" by Friday afternoon, Nats said. | The Swanwick centre was restored to "full operational capacity" by Friday afternoon, Nats said. |
| Heathrow Airport has cancelled about 16 flights on Saturday morning, while Gatwick Airport says it will be operating a full service. | Heathrow Airport has cancelled about 16 flights on Saturday morning, while Gatwick Airport says it will be operating a full service. |
| Many other airports are also due to run their scheduled Saturday flights on time, according to their websites. | Many other airports are also due to run their scheduled Saturday flights on time, according to their websites. |
| Cause undefined | Cause undefined |
| The glitch caused many delays at the busy Heathrow and Gatwick airports, where departing flights were grounded for a time. | The glitch caused many delays at the busy Heathrow and Gatwick airports, where departing flights were grounded for a time. |
| Dozens of arrivals and departures at airports across southern England, and as far north as Aberdeen and Edinburgh, were also delayed and cancelled. | Dozens of arrivals and departures at airports across southern England, and as far north as Aberdeen and Edinburgh, were also delayed and cancelled. |
| Many passengers have had to stay in hotels overnight because of rescheduled flights. | Many passengers have had to stay in hotels overnight because of rescheduled flights. |
| The Independent's travel editor, Simon Calder, said it would be an expensive incident for the airlines, estimating they would pay £2m to £5m in compensation. | The Independent's travel editor, Simon Calder, said it would be an expensive incident for the airlines, estimating they would pay £2m to £5m in compensation. |
| "It all depends how much they have to hand back to passengers. If a flight is delayed, even if it's nothing to do with the airline that's caused it, the airline is responsible for looking after the passengers." | "It all depends how much they have to hand back to passengers. If a flight is delayed, even if it's nothing to do with the airline that's caused it, the airline is responsible for looking after the passengers." |
| The problems came a year after a telephone failure at the Hampshire control room caused huge disruption - one of a number of technical hitches to hit the part-privatised Nats since the centre opened in 2002. | The problems came a year after a telephone failure at the Hampshire control room caused huge disruption - one of a number of technical hitches to hit the part-privatised Nats since the centre opened in 2002. |
| Swanwick air traffic control centre | Swanwick air traffic control centre |
| Swanwick controls the 200,000 square miles of airspace above England and Wales, cost £623m to build, and employs about 1,300 controllers. | Swanwick controls the 200,000 square miles of airspace above England and Wales, cost £623m to build, and employs about 1,300 controllers. |
| But the facility, which handles 5,000 flights every 24 hours, has had a troubled history. | But the facility, which handles 5,000 flights every 24 hours, has had a troubled history. |
| It opened in 2002, six years after its planned commissioning date - a delay which Nats said was due to problems with the software used to power its systems. | It opened in 2002, six years after its planned commissioning date - a delay which Nats said was due to problems with the software used to power its systems. |
| Almost a year after it opened, a senior air traffic controller raised concerns with the BBC about health and safety standards and complications with radio communications - which he said cut out erratically. | Almost a year after it opened, a senior air traffic controller raised concerns with the BBC about health and safety standards and complications with radio communications - which he said cut out erratically. |
| Technical problems and computer faults hit flights in 2008 and again last summer. And, in December 2013, problems with the internal telephone system then caused further delays. | Technical problems and computer faults hit flights in 2008 and again last summer. And, in December 2013, problems with the internal telephone system then caused further delays. |
| Nats said on Friday evening that a "thorough investigation" was being carried out to "identify the root cause" of the disruption. | Nats said on Friday evening that a "thorough investigation" was being carried out to "identify the root cause" of the disruption. |
| Managing director Martin Rolfe has ruled out both a computer hack and a power outage as possible causes. | Managing director Martin Rolfe has ruled out both a computer hack and a power outage as possible causes. |
| Mr McLoughlin said any disruption to the nation's aviation system was a matter of the utmost concern "especially at this time of year in the run-up to the holiday season". | Mr McLoughlin said any disruption to the nation's aviation system was a matter of the utmost concern "especially at this time of year in the run-up to the holiday season". |
| "Disruption on this scale is simply unacceptable and I have asked Nats for a full explanation... I also want to know what steps will be taken to prevent this happening again." | "Disruption on this scale is simply unacceptable and I have asked Nats for a full explanation... I also want to know what steps will be taken to prevent this happening again." |
| The RAF - which has its own air traffic control systems - said the UK military had been unaffected. | The RAF - which has its own air traffic control systems - said the UK military had been unaffected. |
| Have you been affected by the UK airspace disruption? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | |
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