Air Cargo

UK Cargo Capacity Plummets After Air Traffic Control Outage

NATS' flight processing system failed on September 8, disrupting UK air cargo operations significantly. The outage resulted in approximately 2,000 flight cancellations on that day, with an additional 150 cancellations on September 9. Major airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, East Midlands and Stansted were impacted. Outbound international cargo capacity from London Heathrow dropped to 2,500 tonnes from 4,200 tonnes the previous week. Stansted saw capacity fall to 798 tonnes compared to 1,000 tonnes on September 1, while East Midlands declined to 1,200 tonnes from 1,400 tonnes. NATS acknowledged the recovery remained complex with ripple effects across the aviation network. Virgin Atlantic Cargo resumed scheduled flights on September 9 but warned of continued shipment disruptions as teams work to rebook affected cargo and reposition aircraft and crew.