UK flights delayed after ‘technical issue’ with air traffic control

It's the second disruption in a matter of weeks

Airspace is currently being restricted following an issue at the NATS Prestwick centre in Scotland, although the organisation said that this problem is unrelated to the issues earlier this month which caused major disruption across England.

Issues were first reported at Liverpool John Lennon Airport by the Liverpool Echo as Flightradar24 showed dozens of flights arriving and departing facing delays into the airport.

Meanwhile, Sky News reports that four other airports are being affected; Belfast International Airport, Glasgow International Airport and the airports of Newcastle and Leeds Bradford.

At the time of writing, Flightradar24 listed Belfast and Newcastle airports as the second and third most disrupted in the world.

Operations at Belfast Airport have been heavily affected. Image: Flightradar24 screenshot.

Because the issue is affecting the NATS centre in Scotland, the disruption mainly concerns airports in the north of England and Scotland.

A statement released by NATS said: "We are investigating a technical issue at our Prestwick centre in Scotland. To maintain safety, air traffic regulations have been applied to manage traffic demand.

"Engineers are on site investigating and working to resolve the issue. The issue is unrelated to the technical problems experienced earlier this month.

"We apologise for the disruption and any delays to passengers’ journeys. Passengers should check with their airline for the latest information on their flight."