Holidaymakers have been warned of delays after a technical failure at Prestwick Centre air traffic control restricted the capacity of Scottish airspace by 60%
by LUCY ASHTON
Passengers flying from Scotland are facing disruption due to air traffic control problems at Prestwick restricting the capacity of Scottish airspace.
Flights arriving at and departing from Glasgow Airport have been affected, while a number of delays are also showing on the live departures board at Edinburgh Airport.
The disruption is understood to be linked to a failure affecting the Flight Data Processing System at NATS’ Prestwick Centre.
Aviation News UK reported this morning the failure restricted the capacity of Scottish-controlled airspace by 60%, with restrictions in place until 11 am UTC.
It is not yet clear how long the disruption will last or how many flights will ultimately be affected.
AGS, which owns Glasgow Airport, said they understood the “frustration” passengers must be facing after a NATS technical issue disrupted services for a second time in just a few weeks.
A spokesperson said: “A technical issue affecting NATS air traffic control services at the Prestwick Centre is disrupting some flight departures and arrivals. As a result, some services operating to and from our airports are experiencing delays, primarily at Glasgow Airport, and further disruption is expected due to the knock-on impact across the network.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused to passengers. This is the second time in as many weeks that a NATS technical issue has had a significant impact on services operating through our airports, and we fully appreciate the frustration this will cause those whose travel plans have been disrupted. We advise passengers to check with their airline for the latest flight information before travelling.”
A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “We are experiencing some delays due to the NATS issue at Prestwick Centre. We are monitoring the situation closely and are working with NATS as they work to resolve the issue. Passengers should check with their airline for the latest information on their flight.”