UK airports face second day of disruption as 1,300 flights grounded

National Air Traffic Services said a fault in its flight-processing system grounded about 1,300 flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers delayed and triggering a second day of airport disruption.

Analysts said airline shares could face near-term pressure as investors price in lost revenue and higher rebooking and disruption costs; market reaction at the open was pending.

NATS flight-processing fault

Officials said the fault affected NATS' central flight-processing systems and prompted cancellations and large-scale delays across multiple UK airports on September 9, 2026. Airlines warned that displaced crews and aircraft would create knock-on schedule problems that take days to resolve.

Officials said some passengers described themselves as "trapped" in terminals as rebooking, baggage handling and outbound connections slowed. Airlines said they were working to re-accommodate customers, prioritise delayed transfers and restore schedules where possible.

Markets will watch whether NATS restores full functionality by September 11, 2026; if systems are back by that date, analysts said carriers could largely recover planned schedules, but if the fault persists delays and revenue losses may extend into the following week.