Ryanair Cancels 1,000 Flights Amid UK Air Traffic Collapse

Ryanair cancelled more than 1,000 flights in September 2026, attributing the disruptions to a "collapse" in the United Kingdom's air traffic control system. The airline identified two specific failures within the UK network: a software fault on September 8 and a connectivity issue at the Prestwick centre in Scotland. Other contributing factors included air traffic control strikes in Belgium and airspace closures caused by volcanic ash from Mount Etna in Italy.

These systemic failures prompted calls for the resignation of Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of National Air Traffic Services (Nats). In response to the chaos, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander scheduled a meeting with Nats chairman Sir Warren East to address the operational breakdowns.

Despite the cancellations, Ryanair reported carrying 20.1 million passengers in September, representing a 4% year-on-year increase. For the trailing 12-month period, the airline's total passenger count rose 5% to 215.1 million, maintaining a load factor of 94% across more than 111,700 flights.

Other carriers also reported mixed results. Wizz Air saw passenger growth of 24% to 7.78 million in September, but the airline announced a 5% cut to its flight programme for the second half of 2026, citing pressures from the Iran war and soaring fuel costs.