An air traffic control system failure that led to thousands of flights being cancelled earlier this month was caused by a software glitch, a preliminary report has found.
The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) probe into the incident on September 8 said it was ’caused by a software defect in a small part of the National Airspace System (NAS), which underpins the management of UK airspace’.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: ‘The disruption we saw last week was completely unacceptable and I know how frustrating it was for passengers, airlines and airports.
‘I have now received NATS’ report and, while I am pleased to see that the safety of passengers was protected, it’s clear we need to urgently understand why this issue was not discovered and fixed before it caused chaos.
‘I have therefore tasked the CAA with conducting an independent review to check NATS’ findings and investigate their investment plans to enhance resilience in the future, along with regulatory accountability.
‘It is crucial that our national infrastructure is fit for the future, and this government will make sure the aviation sector is as resilient as possible, so passengers can get to where they need to be.’
Hundreds of thousands of passengers suffered disruption due to the ‘technical issue’
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