Now more UK airports including Heathrow could face Gatwick-style flights shambles sparked by ‘sickies’ – as travel expert warns high sickness levels among air traffic control staffers could spark chaos elsewhere

• Travel expert Paul Charles claims other airport control centres could be affected 
• Are YOU affected by chaos at Gatwick? Email [email protected]

More airports in the UK, including Heathrow, could face a Gatwick-style flight shambles sparked by sickness, a travel expert has warned. 

Passengers faced hours of chaos in Gatwick after one air traffic controller called in sick, leading to flight delays, cancellations or diversions, and sparking ‘manic’ queues of up to two hours at Stansted. 

As the disruption rumbled on, a travel expert claimed it was because Gatwick’s air traffic control, provided by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS), was down to two staff members when a third called in sick. 

NATS, which imposed air traffic control restrictions last night, citing ‘staff shortages’, also provide air traffic control services to Aberdeen, Belfast City, Belfast International, Bristol, Cardiff, Farnborough, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Southampton, St Athan and Stansted airports. 

It has led to concerns that similar scenes could be seen in these other UK airports.  

Travel expert Paul Charles said other airport control centres could also be seeing ‘higher sickness levels currently’ adding that the ‘staff shortage is not confined to Gatwick’.  

Passengers at Stansted complained of enormous queues as flights from Gatwick were re-routed through the airport

Passengers in Gatwick Airport faced huge queues and delays, and some were even stranded in the airport overnight 

Travel expert Paul Charles said other airport control centres could also be seeing ‘higher sickness levels currently’ adding that the ‘staff shortage is not confined to Gatwick’

‘It’s an extraordinary shift system lacking any resilience’, he said. ‘As we’ve seen recently you need several people to be supporting the IT infrastructure. 

‘But current high sickness levels are knocking out key personnel, and so the controller left in charge is having to slow down the arrival and departure flow.

‘NATS doesn’t have strength in depth currently – and new recruits take time to be trained up. It’s hardly been the leadership’s finest hour.

‘Other UK airports have fewer flights than second-busiest Gatwick but it does beg the question whether sickness is causing cancellations and delays at the UK’s regional airports too.’

Travel journalist Simon Calder previously told GB News: ‘I can tell you exactly what happened. They have three people working in the control tower at Gatwick . Bear in mind this looks after one of the busiest runways in the world. Yesterday one of them went sick.

‘Personally I would always want workers in such a safety-critical job to always be 100 per cent. They should not continue to work [if they are sick]. But, with two instead of three people, they had to reduce the arrival flow rate.

Travellers were forced to bed down for the night on the floor of Gatwick airport

Cancellations continued for two more days as planes and crews were out of position

Travel expert Simon Calder said the issues were caused after one of the air traffic control members called in sick 

Dozens of arrivals and departures were affected, with passengers being advised to contact their airline prior to travelling

READ MORE: Gatwick Airport chaos as flights are diverted and delayed due to lack of air traffic control staff

‘This meant that planes were just disappearing all over the place – going to Bournemouth, Stansted to Luton to Brussels. Many flights were cancelled… it is a real, real mess.’

A spokesperson for NATS stated that flights at London Gatwick are ‘operating normally’ after restrictions were imposed yesterday afternoon. 

‘Air traffic control restrictions were put in place yesterday afternoon due to short notice staff absence affecting our air traffic control team at Gatwick Airport’, they said. ‘We worked closely with the airport and airlines to minimise disruption. We apologise very sincerely to everyone who has been inconvenienced.

‘We are working closely with Gatwick Airport Ltd to build resilience in the airport’s control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum. 

‘New air traffic controllers have been recruited since last summer, increasing our presence by 17 per cent, and others are due to start after completing their training, in line with the agreed plan when NATS took over the contract last October.

‘London Gatwick’s senior management understands that we are working hard to keep the operation moving. 

‘Airlines operating at London Gatwick were aware of the situation when NATS was appointed but that does not dilute the apology we offer sincerely to them and their passengers who have been inconvenienced by recent disruption.’ 

Images from Stanstead show holidaymakers standing in long queues after flights from Gatwick were rerouted through the airport. 

As the disruption rumbled on, a travel expert claimed it was because Gatwick’s air traffic control, provided by the National Air Traffic Services (NATS), was down to two staff members when a third called in sick

Travellers faced widespread disruption last month after the air traffic control system was hit by a technical glitch

Stansted did not confirm the reason for the queues through security and passport control this morning. But some passengers claimed they had been told it was due to a ‘computer backup’ and ‘problems at Gatwick’.

This meant dozens of arrivals and departures were affected, with passengers being advised to contact their airline prior to travelling. 

Holidaymakers claim that they have had minimal information and were left to fend for themselves in the empty terminals last night after hotels were booked up. 

The air traffic control situation not only meant that some flights couldn’t take off from Gatwick but that many couldn’t land. 

This meant that tired travellers set to touch down at the airport were diverted to sites across the country with one flight being diverted to Brussels whilst over the English Channel. 

Sally Richards was on the diverted flight and said: ‘Just as we were crossing the Channel we were told they had received a message saying Gatwick was closed and they had no idea why. 

‘We’ve got back to Britain and it feels like Britain is simply not working.’ 

One holidaymaker wrote on X that travellers had been ‘standing outside in the cold for the last hour waiting on a coach for a Ryanair flight in Stansted’.

Dozens of flights continued to be delayed from Gatwick this morning as the disruption rumbled on

Furious Gatwick passengers have complained about the issues on social media

Another complained of long queues at the Border Force checkpoint in the south terminal. 

One passenger even claimed that a flight had been diverted to Bournemouth airport, which is more than 100 miles away from Gatwick. 

‘Our whole holiday could be cancelled’, she said. ‘We’d be losing our whole holiday if we can’t get another flight.’ 

Debbie Barrett agreed, adding that it was ‘disgusting’ the way passengers had been treated. 

Sarah Burnham said: ‘We couldn’t find anywhere to sleep so we decided just to stay here.’ 

Gatwick has apologised for the situation, adding in a statement: ‘Nats are a world-class provider of air traffic services and London Gatwick’s senior management recognises how hard the airport’s air traffic controllers are working to keep the operation moving.

‘We are working closely with Nats to build resilience in the airport’s control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.’

Sarah Burham (right) was forced to sleep in the airport overnight due to flight cancellations 

Holidaymaker Caroline Monks fears she will now lose her holiday due to the cancellations 

More than a quarter of flights to and from UK airports were cancelled that day, affecting around 250,000 people

Travellers faced widespread disruption last month after the air traffic control system was hit by a technical glitch on August 28. More than a quarter of flights to and from UK airports were cancelled that day, affecting around 250,000 people.

Cancellations continued for two more days as planes and crews were out of position.

The continued cancellations and long delays this summer has led airline chiefs to slam Nats for ‘let(ting) down customers all summer’.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: ‘Persistent staff shortages at Nats have plagued the industry and repeatedly let down customers all summer, having caused more than a month’s worth of disruption.

‘This cannot be allowed to continue. Immediate action must be taken to fix the staffing shortages now while a more wide-ranging review examines broader issues to ensure Nats delivers robust services to passengers now and in the future.‘

Rory Boland, of consumer group Which?, said: ‘It is unacceptable that some Gatwick passengers have been hit by further air traffic control problems so soon after the chaos a few weeks ago.

‘This is not an issue caused by airlines, but they must meet their legal obligations to look after passengers and provide them with support during delays and help with refunds and rerouting – including with other carriers if necessary.

‘To help end this cycle of miserable passenger experiences, the Prime Minister must play his part and prioritise legislation to give the CAA stronger enforcement powers in the King’s Speech later this year.’

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