A major air traffic control outage in the UK caused widespread flight disruptions on Wednesday. The 20-minute technical problem at NATS' Swanwick center led to hundreds of flight cancellations and thousands of delays across major airports like Heathrow, Stansted, and Manchester. NATS attributed the issue to a radar problem, quickly switching to a backup system. Passengers faced significant inconvenience, with some flights diverted or turned back. The government is investigating the incident, the second major outage for NATS in two years, prompting calls for resignations and inquiries into the recurring issue.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.