UK Flight Cancellations Pass 2,000 as Air Traffic Control Chaos Enters Second Day

More than 2,000 flights to and from UK airports have been cancelled as disruption caused by a technical failure at National Air Traffic Services (Nats) stretched into a second day, according to reporting by the Guardian.

The aviation analytics company Cirium reported that more than 1,900 flights had already been cancelled by 5am on Wednesday, in addition to cancellations from the previous day, when the technical issue first emerged. Nats provides air traffic control services to 15 UK airports.

Although Nats said the underlying technical problem has now been resolved, the knock-on effects have continued to disrupt flight schedules, with additional flights delayed on top of those cancelled. The Guardian reported that tens of thousands of passengers travelling to and from the UK have been affected by the chaos.

The head of Nats is due to meet the UK transport secretary as scrutiny intensifies over the handling of the disruption and its prolonged impact on travellers, according to the Guardian's live coverage.

The aviation disruption has unfolded against a backdrop of wider volatility in energy markets. Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel for the first time since July, which the Guardian attributed to an escalation in the war involving Iran. Gas prices also rose during the same period, the report said.

The Guardian said it was continuing to seek accounts from readers on how they had been affected by the air traffic disruption, as the situation remained ongoing.