UK airports cancel hundreds of flights after air traffic control technical issue

On September 8, 2026, a technical issue at UK air traffic control forced major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester to ground departing flights. The glitch led to nearly 300 to 425 flight cancellations across the country, causing widespread disruption for travelers. Authorities are working to resolve the problem, but the incident has sparked chaos at several airports. The cause of the technical failure has not yet been disclosed.