A “technical problem” at the air traffic control centre is causing delays at airports across the UK.
A Stansted Airport spokesman said all of its departing flights were subject to delays of between 30 minutes and two hours, while Gatwick Airport said 20% of its departures had been delayed, with passengers warned they could wait for “a couple of hours”.
National Air Traffic Services (Nats) said the issue stemmed from its control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire.
A spokesman said: “Due to a technical problem at Swanwick, we are currently experiencing some difficulty switching from night-time to daytime operation. This may result in some delays, for which we apologise.
“Engineers are working to rectify the problem as soon as possible.”
