More than 1,000 flights were canceled across the United Kingdom on Thursday following a technical fault that disrupted air traffic control operations at major airports. The issue resulted in widespread travel delays and long queues, affecting tens of thousands of passengers nationwide.

The problem emerged around midday when a fault was detected in the flight processing system managed by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS), which led to a suspension of departures for approximately 40 minutes. NATS subsequently implemented a fix, and by about 6:30 p.m., the system was reported to be recovering. However, officials warned that some disruption was expected to continue into Friday.

Airports impacted included London Gatwick, Stansted, City Airport, Manchester, Birmingham, and several locations in Scotland. Passengers expressed frustration over the lack of clear information during the disruption. One traveler, Josie Donoghue, described her experience at Gatwick as being “trapped” after spending three hours on the runway. “We were told we couldn’t get out until the flights were canceled, and then eventually they allowed us to get out,” she said, characterizing the situation as an “absolute nightmare.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that the technical fault had been resolved but acknowledged the ongoing challenges as the system stabilized. The underlying cause of the fault remained unclear late Thursday evening.

In a separate development related to aviation infrastructure, the UK government announced approval to proceed with the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Chancellor John Healey stated that after years of delays and debate, the decision was made based on strong economic justification. The project, however, continues to face criticism from climate experts and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who have raised environmental and community concerns.