All flights outbound from UK affected by technical issue at air traffic centre

London’s airspace has been closed to flights for safety reasons after air traffic control was hit by technical issues. Problems with technology at Swanwick Centre, which manages air traffic over much of England and Wales, has impacted a broad range of flights (Picture: Reuters)

A statement from Nats said: ‘As a result of a technical issue at NATS Swanwick air traffic control centre, we are limiting the number of aircraft flying in the London control area in order to ensure safety, which is always our first priority' (Picture: Getty Images)

'We apologise for any delays this may cause. Our engineers are working hard to resolve the problem as quickly as possible and we are working closely with airlines to help minimise disruption' (Picture: Getty Images)

‘At this stage we cannot say how long it will be before operations are back to normal. Please check with your airline on the status of your flight.’ Nats has since issued an update, writing on X: ‘Our engineers have now restored the system that was affected this afternoon' (Picture: FlightRadar24)

‘We are in the process of resuming normal operations in the London area. We continue to work closely with airline and airport customers to minimise disruption. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused' (Picture: Peter MacDiarmid/Shutterstock)

Gatwick Airport comments

A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport has said the technical issue affected ‘all outbound flights across the UK’. They added: ‘There are currently no departures from London Gatwick while the situation is being resolved' (Picture: Getty Images)

'We are working with Nats to resume flights as quickly as possible. Inbound flights are still landing at the airport. Passengers should check the status of their flights with their airline' (Picture: REUTERS)

Flights held at Edinburgh Airport

Edinburgh Airport has also reported issues with its departures. In a post on X, the airport said: ‘Due to a technical issue impacting Nats, all departures from Edinburgh Airport are currently being held. We are waiting for further information from Nats and will provide updates when possible. Please check with your airline for the latest information on your flight' (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

FlightRadar24 map shows extent of disruption

The map of UK flights provided by Flightradar24 shows how quiet the usually packed airspace over London has become due to the issues (Picture: Flightradar24)