Fixed compensation
Do not assume it is automatically due. The cause, applicable passenger-rights regime and the airline's response all matter.
NATS Prestwick disruption · 21 September 2026 · resolved
Second NATS technical failure in two weeks disrupted UK flights
A connectivity issue at NATS' Prestwick control centre disrupted flights across Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England on 21 September. NATS said the fault was unrelated to the nationwide software defect earlier in the month and restored the affected systems the same day, although knock-on disruption continued.
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 Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast, with Gatwick and London City also warning of disruption; 24 cancellations had been recorded by 08:58 GMT and Ryanair said 25,000 passengers were affected. AP later reported 227 UK arrival or departure cancellations by late afternoon, with Manchester, Belfast International, Edinburgh and Belfast City among the most affected airports.
Operational conditions can change quickly. Check the airline and airport for live status before travelling.
Compensation is only one part of your rights
The UK Civil Aviation Authority said passengers were unlikely to be entitled to fixed compensation for delays or cancellations directly caused by this air traffic control incident. That does not remove separate airline obligations concerning care and, depending on the flight outcome, rerouting or reimbursement. A later airline-controlled cause can require a flight-specific assessment.
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 the airline's stated reason, scheduled and actual journey details, rerouting offers and itemised receipts for reasonable care costs. Do not assume that every cancellation on the day was caused solely by the Prestwick fault.
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 — NATS Prestwick connectivity issue disrupts UK flights
Associated Press — second UK air traffic technical issue in two weeks
AeroDue provides passenger-rights intelligence. It does not operate airports, provide live flight status, process claims or guarantee compensation.