No evidence of malign activity in UK travel disruption, says minister
National Air Traffic Services (NATS) restored its systems, with capacity returning to normal, late on Wednesday after switching to a back-up system following what it described as a radar-related failure.
The second outage in recent years at NATS, which provides air traffic control services for planes in UK airspace and the eastern part of the North Atlantic, affected Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London, Edinburgh Airport, and other locations.
On Thursday, NATS repeated its apology to those affected, and added that there was no evidence that the incident was cyber-related.
'I know that any disruption is frustrating for passengers. Flights are now resumed ... I will continue to receive regular updates,' Alexander wrote on social media platform X, following a meeting with NATS Chief Executive Martin Rolfe over the incident.
Earlier on Thursday, Alexander said NATS was working closely with airlines and airports to clear the backlog.
A total of 122 flights were cancelled as of 1830 GMT on Wednesday, with a further 23 cancelled as of 0730 GMT on Thursday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
At least 16 flights, including departures to Brussels and Toronto and arrivals from New York and Berlin, had been cancelled at Heathrow Airport, according to its website.
The airport, Britain's largest and Europe's busiest, was hit by a fire at a power sub-station in March which stranded thousands of passengers.
Ryanair Chief Operating Officer Neal McMahon called on NATS' Rolfe to resign, saying no lessons had been learnt since the August 2023 disruption caused by a malfunctioning in the automatic processing of flight plans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
My Birmingham: Saudi researcher Hanadi AlGarni gives us the lowdown on life in the UK's second-largest city
DUBAI: Hanadi AlGarni is a 27-year-old researcher and innovator in biotechnology. She lived in Birmingham, England, for 18 months while she completed her MSc degree in Molecular Biotechnology at the city's School of Biosciences. What's the best thing about Birmingham? It's a big city — the second-biggest in the UK — but it feels cozy. And the city center is small, which gives you the chance to familiarize yourself with places. What's the worst thing about Birmingham? The roads. They're a mess. It's a random city. Ghankol Shariff Masjid in the Small Heath area of Birmingham. (Getty Images) How would you describe the general vibe of Birmingham? As I said, it's a big city, but it's not hectic like London. There's a lot of culture. You see a lot of different people living there, and you can easily find stores and shops from different cultures. Is the city expensive? The UK in general is a bit expensive, but it really depends on your lifestyle. It's not that expensive compared to London. You can enjoy life there within a budget. Would you say it's a good place to travel to with kids? It is safe for kids. Birmingham is very family-friendly, but I think it's better suited for teenagers because there are a lot of activities and night life. The Library of Birmingham. (Getty Images) How easy is it to get around? One of the best things about Birmingham is the public transport — they have a great network. You can get everywhere using the tram or the bus. I used to use the train from my place to the university. You don't need to hire a car in the UK; you can easily find public transport. What's the best time of year to visit? Actually, I had the best time when the Christmas Market was there in December. It's a German-style Christmas market, so it was something different and there were lots of activities and lots of people. It was really enjoyable. Would you describe the city as ethnically diverse? Yes, it's one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the UK. More than 40 percent of the population comes from minority ethnic backgrounds. You can find Asians, Africans, Arabs… a lot of different ethnicities. Is it convenient for Muslims? Yes. There are a lot of mosques, even in the city center. And you'll find a lot of halal and Arab-speaking shops, restaurants and cafés everywhere. So, yeah, that's what's special about Birmingham — there are a lot of Muslims there and a lot of Arab students. Levain and Cherry in Birmingham - the 'best croissants in the UK' according to Hanadi AlGarni. (Instagram) What would you do on your ideal weekend in Birmingham? Every weekend there's something to do. Also, because Birmingham is central, you can easily go to Manchester or London, or any other city in England. Which famous tourist attraction would you recommend people visit? The Library of Birmingham, for sure. It has a unique design. It has, like, a green area on the top floor and you can see the whole city from there. Where else would you recommend? There's a bakery I found randomly called Levain and Cherry. It's quite a long way from the city center (it's in King's Heath), but you get the best croissant you'll ever eat in the UK there. I highly recommend it. The second place is Warwick Castle — definitely not to be missed. It's about 15 minutes away by train. Also, the West Midlands Safari Park is amazing; it feels like you're in Africa. You can also stay at the lodge there, but it's a bit expensive. What's the best hotel in Birmingham? I think it's The Hyatt Regency. Even the location is amazing — it's nearby everything. Which neighborhoods would you recommend people look for accommodation in? I'd totally recommend the city center, the Jewellery Quarter and Brindley Place. Where did you go when you were feeling homesick or nostalgic for Saudi Arabia? I never felt homesick. There were a lot of Arabs and Saudi people around me. But if I had, then there's a road called Coventry Road, where, during Ramadan, they had all the Ramadan atmosphere. All the halal shops are there. And they even sell abayas. It really feels like you're in an Arab country. Even if you're looking for really specific products made in Saudi, or made in Palestine, say, you can find them.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
‘These courses look amazing.' PIF Future Fairways tee off in London
LONDON: With immersive tech, visionary course design, and a bold ambition to shape the next chapter of global golf, the Saudi Public Investment Fund and Golf Saudi officially launched PIF Future Fairways in central London on Tuesday — a preview event blending innovation with sport to highlight Saudi Arabia's emergence as a world class golf destination. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The event at Urban Golf in Smithfield unveiled an interactive 3D digital version of three flagship Saudi golf courses — Shura Links, Laheq Golf Course, and Trojena Northern Golf Course — designed to position the Kingdom at the heart of golf's next era. These next-generation venues will anchor Saudi's broader ambitions to triple its number of golf courses by 2030 and build a holistic sports and tourism ecosystem. Attendees, including pro golfers, designers and industry leaders, explored virtual replicas of the new courses, demo-played signature holes on high-tech simulators, and took part in a 'closest to the pin' challenge — all while engaging in off-the-record discussions with PIF stakeholders and Golf Saudi executives. 'For me, every experience that I have with Saudi, it's been amazing,' said Carlota Ciganda, one of Golf Saudi's ambassadors. 'I know what they are capable of doing. These courses look amazing, a lot of fun to play — they're going to attract a lot of people, a lot of tourists. I would love to go, play, and be part of this.' Her sentiments were echoed by fellow ambassador Marianne Skarpnord, who said: 'I definitely see Saudi Arabia becoming a golf tourist destination. Saudi Arabia's landscapes are tailor-made for golf — from coastal settings to dramatic desert terrain. As we've seen here today, there are some amazing courses being built — it'll be an easy choice for many people coming from the outside.' Beyond new courses, the event also highlighted Golf Saudi's long-term commitment to growing the sport from the ground up. Dedicated programs and academies are now being developed throughout the Kingdom to nurture young talent and embed golf within the local culture — a critical step for any emerging golf nation. Saudi Arabia's new courses — including the coastal Shura Links on Shura Island, the desert-framed Laheq Golf Course along the Red Sea coast, and the alpine-inspired Trojena Northern Golf Course in NEOM — are being designed not just for playability but for global competition. Each is expected to host future tournaments, including events on the PIF Global Series, which resumes this weekend with the PIF Championship at London's Centurion Club. The fusion of golf and tourism is at the heart of the vision. By integrating world-class design with environmental sensitivity and destination appeal, Saudi Arabia is not only building venues but offering experiences tailored to the modern golfer. 'The goal is to reimagine how golf is experienced, shared, and celebrated — both locally and globally,' said one stakeholder during the event. 'This is not about copying what exists elsewhere. It's about creating something distinctly Saudi, with universal appeal.' PIF Future Fairways will continue to appear at all PIF Global Series tournaments through 2025 and into 2026, serving as a traveling exhibition of Saudi Arabia's golf transformation. For now, Tuesday's London event delivered a clear message: Saudi Arabia is not just joining the global golf stage — it's setting the direction for its future.
Arab News
4 days ago
- Arab News
High-speed train travel resumes in northern France after Eurostars canceled
PARIS: High-speed train travel resumed in northern France on Tuesday after an electrical fault forced the cancelation of Eurostar services and severe delays on Eurostar trains connecting Paris with London and continental Europe were canceled on Monday after the fault on an overhead cable on the line in northern France, Eurostar company has canceled three Paris-London services on Tuesday, according to its schedule. There were still delays on other trains but not as severe as the disruptions endured by passengers on Monday.'The repair work was completed according to schedule, and this morning we are resuming normal traffic on the high-speed line,' a spokesperson for French operator SNCF that did run on Monday were diverted onto slower remains unclear what caused the incident on the line between Moussy and Longueil in northern incident was the latest to affect Eurostar during the holiday season at a time when the company has faced criticism over its high prices, especially on the Paris-London theft of cables on train tracks in northern France caused two days of problems in has a majority shareholding in Eurostar, with Belgian railways, Quebec investment fund CDPQ and US fund manager Federated Hermes holding minority stakes.
