Flight delay warning in Scotland due to traffic control communications problems

By- Martin Williams :AIR TRAFFIC control communations problems have prompted warnings about delays to flights in Scotland.

Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Prestwick airports are being affected by the incident at the Scottish Air Traffic Control centre at Prestwick caused by “interference on some radio frequencies” used to communicate with aircraft.

By 8.45 am some flights were being delayed by up to an two hours and 20 minutes with the longest holdup being an Eastern Airways flight to Shetland due off at 12.50pm but not expected to depart till 3.10pm.
In its latest statement, National Air Traffic Control Services said it has “identified the cause, isolated the problem and the situation is improving” and added: “We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience.”

NATS said that the problems were caused by a “technical issues overnight” at Prestwick, which controls all aircraft over Scotland, Northern Ireland, northern England and the North Sea between 2,500ft and 66,000ft.

Nats said: “We have had a technical problem overnight with interference on some radio frequencies that we use to speak to aircraft.

“It only affects part of Scottish airspace and flights from some Scottish airports this morning may be delayed as a result.”

They said earlier there would be “some impact on flights this morning but the “situation is improving”.

A NATS spokesman said: “The cause has been identified and is currently being resolved.

“Every possible action is being taken to assist airlines to minimise disruption. We apologise for the inconvenience people may be experiencing and will update with further details as soon as possible.

“Passengers are advised to contact their airline to confirm the status of their flight.”

The longest delay so far was for an Eastern Airways flight to Durham from Aberdeen Airport due to leave at 8.20am but estimated to depart at 10.05am.

NATS Prestwick also controls aircraft flying between 2,500ft and 28,500ft over northern England, the Midlands and north Wales, as well as the airspace over the eastern half of the North Atlantic.
Early morning flights were being delayed at Glasgow and Edinburgh airports by up to an hour and 15 minutes.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “Due to an ongoing issue at the Scottish Airspace control centre there will be a delay to all flights this morning. We are still assessing the situation but customers should expect delays.”

We apologise for the inconvenience people may be experiencing and are assisting airlines to minimise disruption. https://t.co/FyvF9Uug8K

— NATS (@NATSPressOffice) October 26, 2015
Glasgow Airport said: “Due to technical issue with air traffic control there may be delays to some flights. Please contact your airline for specific flight details.”

Due to technical issue with air traffic control there may be delays to some flights. Please contact your airline for specific flight details

— Glasgow Airport (@GLA_Airport) October 26, 2015
Due to an ongoing issue at the Scottish Airspace control centre there will be a delay to all flights this morning. 1/2

— Edinburgh Airport (@EDI_Airport) October 26, 2015

A spokesman for Aberdeen Airport said a small number of delays were affecting southbound flights but it was hoped they would be back to normal “as soon as possible”.

Gordon Robertson, of Edinburgh Airport, said passengers should consult their airlines before heading to the airport.

He said: “Clearly, if there was an airspace closure as we saw this morning for a period of time that has a knock-on effect through the day and we’re working with our airlines to try and understand how that affects flights for the rest of the day and we’ll be giving information when we can.”

He estimated it would take “hours rather than days” for operations to return to normal.

But he added: “Clearly, with the effect on the first wave today, there are going to be reverberations through the day and passengers should keep an eye on our Twitter feed, our social media, but also talk to their airlines as well.

“I’m sure air traffic control wouldn’t allow flights if anything was unsafe so I don’t think passengers should be worried unduly.”

Scotland’s Transport Minister, Derek Mackay said he understood the technical issue has been “rectified and addressed”.

He added: “However, there is a knock-on consequence to the airlines so people should check with their airlines and airports to ensure that their flights are running.

“There has been a knock-on impact and a number of flights are delayed but I understand the technical issue has been addressed.”

Some passengers took to social media to raise their concerns.

Marvellous, a major malfunction of the air traffic control system in Scotland. Now sat in a plane in Glasgow Airport and can’t take off