Prestwick Air-Traffic Fault: Check UK Flight Status Before Travel

Public Services Desk 2026-10-23 10:47 2 min read

Air traffic control tower at Gatwick Airport with an approaching plane at sunset.

Passengers travelling in Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England should check their flight directly with the operating airline before setting off. On 21 September 2026, NATS said a connectivity problem at its Prestwick Centre had been fixed, but the Civil Aviation Authority warned that knock-on disruption could continue.

What changed at Prestwick on 21 September

NATS reported a technical connectivity issue at its Prestwick Centre, which led to air-traffic restrictions. The service provider said the fault was fixed and that it was working with airports and airlines to remove remaining restrictions. It advised passengers to keep checking with their airline.

The CAA said the incident primarily affected northern parts of the UK. A fault being fixed does not mean every flight has returned to schedule: aircraft and crews can be out of position, leaving later services affected.

Flights involving Scotland and nearby regions may still be affected

The incident affected flights involving Scotland, Northern Ireland and northern England. That does not mean every airport or route in those areas was disrupted, and the available updates do not identify a complete list of affected services.

Check the status of your specific flight, including any revised departure time or cancellation notice. Airport departure boards can help, but the airline operating the flight is the key place to confirm what applies to your booking.

Prestwick Air-Traffic Fault: Check UK Flight Status Before Travel

Check these details before leaving for the airport

Look up your flight number on the operating airline’s website or app, and check again before departure.
Confirm whether the departure time, gate or flight status has changed; allow for further updates if knock-on delays continue.
Check your airline’s instructions before travelling to the airport, especially if your flight is cancelled or significantly delayed.
Keep booking details and receipts for reasonable expenses if you need to ask the airline about care or reimbursement.

What the CAA says about care and compensation

The CAA said compensation for delays or cancellations directly caused by this incident was unlikely under extraordinary-circumstances rules. That is not a blanket decision covering every passenger: the cause of an individual disruption and the circumstances of a claim matter.

Compensation and passenger care are separate issues. The CAA reminded airlines of their responsibilities to passengers. If you are stranded or your flight is cancelled, contact the airline for instructions and information about the support available to you.

The next useful check is the operating airline’s latest status for your flight. NATS said it was working with airports and airlines to remove remaining restrictions; the CAA cautioned that resulting disruption could continue.

Source: National Air Traffic Services

Context & actions About this article

Source check Official updates

NATS reported that the Prestwick connectivity fault was fixed, while the CAA said knock-on disruption could continue and compensation for directly caused disruption was unlikely.

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