UAE travellers heading to Britain or connecting through UK airspace are facing possible delays, cancellations and rerouting after a technical failure at the UK’s air traffic control provider disrupted flights across the country.
The problem affected NATS’ flight-processing system on Tuesday, September 8. NATS said the system returned to normal at about 7.30pm UK time, but the restoration did not immediately return the network to normal because aircraft, crews and passengers had been left out of position.
For travellers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, that means a flight can remain affected even though the underlying air-traffic-control fault has been fixed. Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways have all issued travel updates warning passengers to check their individual flight status before going to the airport.
What happened to UK flights?
NATS, the UK’s air navigation services provider, experienced a technical problem in its flight-processing system on September 8. The failure caused widespread disruption at major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Stansted and London City.
Reuters reported that more than 1,000 flights were disrupted, while other flight-tracking figures indicated that cancellations across UK airports reached roughly 1,300 on Tuesday. The precise number varies according to the timing and definition used for cancellations and disruptions.
NATS said the system was operating normally again later that evening. Chief executive Martin Rolfe said the immediate focus had shifted to recovery and investigating the cause of the technical problem.
The disruption was not limited to flights physically departing from Britain. Aircraft travelling through UK airspace were also affected, making the consequences relevant to international services linking Europe with Gulf hubs.
Emirates warns Dubai-UK passengers
Dubai-based Emirates said flights arriving at and departing from UK airports were experiencing disruption because of the NATS problem.
The airline advised customers to check their flight status regularly, review operational updates and monitor their email for any notification about delays, changes or cancellations. Emirates also asked passengers to make sure their contact details were up to date in their booking.
That advice is particularly important for UAE passengers who may have already received confirmation for a UK-bound flight. The continuing backlog means schedules can change as airlines reposition aircraft and crew.
Etihad reports Heathrow-Abu Dhabi disruption
Etihad Airways reported disruption to several London Heathrow-Abu Dhabi services on September 8.
According to the airline information reported by Gulf News, EY64 from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi was cancelled. EY66 was expected to depart later than originally scheduled, while EY68 faced an extended delay after its inbound aircraft, EY67, was diverted to Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Etihad said the situation remained dynamic and that further changes were possible. The airline was assisting affected passengers with hotel accommodation and onward rebooking.
For passengers travelling from the UK to Abu Dhabi, the disruption therefore extends beyond the airport departure board: aircraft positioning and crew availability can affect subsequent services even after UK air-traffic-control operations have resumed.
Qatar Airways warns of delays and rerouting
Qatar Airways also issued a travel alert covering flights to and from UK airports as well as services operating through UK airspace.
The airline warned passengers about delays and possible rerouting and asked them to check the latest flight information through its website or mobile application.
For Gulf passengers connecting through Doha, this means a UK airspace problem can affect the wider journey even when the passenger’s final destination is outside Britain.
Why are delays continuing after the system was restored?
Restoring an air-traffic-control system does not instantly restore an airline network.
When flights are cancelled or diverted, aircraft may end up at airports where they were not scheduled to be. Crews can also become separated from their planned aircraft, while passengers and baggage may need to be rebooked or moved.
British Airways said it had cancelled or diverted more than 100 flights and warned of a significant knock-on impact. Ryanair separately said the disruption had affected more than 65,000 passengers.
That operational imbalance is why passengers can continue seeing cancellations and long delays after the original technical fault has been resolved.
What UAE travellers should do
Passengers flying from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to the UK, or travelling onward through UK airspace, should not rely solely on an earlier booking confirmation.
The safest approach is to:
- Check the airline’s flight-status page before leaving for the airport.
- Monitor email and airline-app notifications.
- Allow additional time at the airport.
- Check connecting-flight status if travelling onwards from the UK.
- Follow the airline’s instructions if a flight is cancelled or rerouted.
- Avoid travelling to the airport without confirming the latest status when the airline has advised passengers to do so.
The situation remains operationally fluid while airlines clear the backlog created by the outage.
NATS has said a full investigation will examine what went wrong. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has previously conducted an independent review of a major NATS failure in 2023, after that incident caused widespread delays and cancellations.
For UAE passengers, the immediate issue is simpler: the UK air-traffic-control system has been restored, but the resulting flight disruption can continue while airlines rebuild their schedules.
What happened to UK flights on September 8, 2026?
A technical failure affecting NATS’ flight-processing system caused widespread disruption across UK airports, including delays, cancellations and diversions. The system was restored later on September 8, but the resulting backlog continued to affect operations.
Are UAE flights affected by the UK air traffic control outage?
Yes. Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways warned passengers about disruption affecting flights to and from the UK, with some services also affected by operations through UK airspace.
Are Emirates flights between Dubai and the UK delayed?
Emirates confirmed that flights arriving at and departing from UK airports were experiencing disruption and advised passengers to check their individual flight status before travelling.
Were Etihad flights from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi affected?
Yes. Etihad reported disruption to several Heathrow-Abu Dhabi services on September 8, including a cancellation and extended delays.
Is the UK air traffic control system working again?
NATS said its flight-processing system returned to normal at around 7.30pm UK time on September 8. However, airlines continued dealing with the operational backlog created by the outage.
Should UAE passengers still go to the airport?
Passengers should first check the latest status directly with their airline. Emirates specifically advised customers to check flight status and operational updates before travelling to the airport.
Will UK flight delays continue?
Further disruption is possible while airlines reposition aircraft and crews and clear delayed flights. The length of the recovery depends on individual airline and airport operations.
