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Nats boss given a week to explain UK air traffic failure
The UK transport secretary said the outage traced to a technical issue at Nats’ Swanwick site and said passengers are unlikely to be entitled to compensation under Civil Aviation Authority guidance.
The head of UK air traffic control provider Nats was given a week to report back on the reasons for a technical failure that severely disrupted travel and led to more than 2,000 flight cancellations, according to the Guardian Business.
Heidi Alexander, the UK transport secretary, said she commissioned an independent review by the Civil Aviation Authority into the latest Nats meltdown and told lawmakers she did not believe the problem was unavoidable. Alexander also said she spoke with Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe after an earlier government meeting and that Downing Street still had confidence in him.
Alexander told the Commons that the outage was due to a technical issue at Nats’ Swanwick site and emphasized safety as controllers’ top priority. The Civil Aviation Authority said passengers are unlikely to be entitled to compensation because the disruption is likely to be treated as the result of extraordinary circumstances.
Industry estimates cited by the outlet said about 330,000 passengers had their travel disrupted and delayed, with more than 155,000 flights canceled and delays affecting over 180,000 passengers, as many travelers were stranded on the ground for hours or overnight. The outlet noted airlines have urged action as Rolfe faces increasing pressure after multiple large-scale flight stoppages in just over three years.