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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Many flights delayed at UK airports | Many flights delayed at UK airports |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Flights are being delayed at airports across the UK and Ireland because of an air traffic control centre fault. | Flights are being delayed at airports across the UK and Ireland because of an air traffic control centre fault. |
| Affected airports include Heathrow, Stansted, Cardiff, Dublin, and Glasgow. | |
| The National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) said its Swanwick centre, in Hampshire, was having "difficulty switching from night time to daytime operation". | The National Air Traffic Control Service (NATS) said its Swanwick centre, in Hampshire, was having "difficulty switching from night time to daytime operation". |
| Apologising for any delays, NATS added: "Engineers are working to rectify the problem as soon as possible." | Apologising for any delays, NATS added: "Engineers are working to rectify the problem as soon as possible." |
| Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Southampton, Luton and London City airports have also reported delays and are asking passengers to check with their airlines. | |
| A spokesman for Stansted Airport said all of its flights were delayed for up to two hours. Gatwick said 20% of its departures had been delayed, with passengers being warned they may have to wait for "a couple of hours". | A spokesman for Stansted Airport said all of its flights were delayed for up to two hours. Gatwick said 20% of its departures had been delayed, with passengers being warned they may have to wait for "a couple of hours". |
| The airline Ryanair has warned there will be "significant flight delays and possible cancellations". | The airline Ryanair has warned there will be "significant flight delays and possible cancellations". |
| Travel reporter Simon Calder told BBC Breakfast: "It is a pretty grim start to the weekend for air travellers." | Travel reporter Simon Calder told BBC Breakfast: "It is a pretty grim start to the weekend for air travellers." |
| He warned that early morning delays could lead to cancellations later in the day. | He warned that early morning delays could lead to cancellations later in the day. |
| He said there were "lots and lots of delays" at Stansted, while Heathrow Airport had "long delays" of up to 40 minutes in departures. | He said there were "lots and lots of delays" at Stansted, while Heathrow Airport had "long delays" of up to 40 minutes in departures. |
| 'Unholy mess' | |
| William Paton, from London, has been delayed at Heathrow. He told the BBC: "Having been on a cancelled flight to Aberdeen from City last night, I was put onto a red eye this morning... and am still on it, with delays of four hours estimated, according to the captain." | William Paton, from London, has been delayed at Heathrow. He told the BBC: "Having been on a cancelled flight to Aberdeen from City last night, I was put onto a red eye this morning... and am still on it, with delays of four hours estimated, according to the captain." |
| Passanger Daisy McAndrew said she had been caught in the "unholy mess" at Gatwick as she tried to fly to Barcelona for work. | |
| "As ever, staff have been fantastic but they know nothing other than the fact it is going to be a very, very long delay - very frustrating," Ms McAndrew told Sky News. | |
| "It doesn't show our air traffic control system or our travel system in a good light. | |
| "I have never heard of an example where every single plane is grounded - it's quite eerie when I look out of the window to see the tarmac in Gatwick, normally so busy, and also the sky above Gatwick which is normally busy - completely static, there's nothing moving." | |
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