Fixed compensation
Do not assume it is automatically due. The cause, applicable passenger-rights regime and the airline's response all matter.
Belfast NATS disruption · 21 September 2026
Belfast flights hit by NATS Prestwick connectivity failure
Northern Ireland flights were affected by the NATS Prestwick technical problem on 21 September. Belfast airports experienced delays and cancellations as traffic restrictions were applied and the network recovered.
Check my affected flightIs your flight affected?
Use your actual itinerary and operating airline to check which passenger rights may apply. It takes you from this incident briefing to a flight-specific assessment.
Check my affected flight →What happened
Reuters reported delays at Belfast during the connectivity failure. AP later listed Belfast International and George Best Belfast City among the airports with the most disruption during a day in which 227 UK arrivals and departures had been cancelled by late afternoon.
Operational conditions can change quickly. Check the airline and airport for live status before travelling.
Compensation is only one part of your rights
Where the NATS incident directly caused a cancellation or long delay, fixed UK261 compensation may not be due. Care and cancellation remedies remain separate, and a flight-specific airline cause should always be retained.
Refund or rerouting
A cancellation can create travel-remedy rights even where an extraordinary circumstance prevents fixed compensation.
Care and expenses
Where the applicable rules provide a duty of care, reasonable meals, accommodation or transport can remain separate from compensation.
What to do now
Keep airline messages, your itinerary, actual journey outcome, rerouting offers and itemised receipts for reasonable meals, accommodation or transport.
Check the facts of your flight
AeroDue separates the cause, itinerary and operating airline so passengers do not confuse an airport-wide incident with an automatic compensation result.
Check my affected flight →Sources used for this briefing
Reuters — Belfast affected by NATS Prestwick issue
Associated Press — Belfast airports among most disrupted
AeroDue provides passenger-rights intelligence. It does not operate airports, provide live flight status, process claims or guarantee compensation.