CLIENT ADVISORY – UK AIRFREIGHT DISRUPTION
Impact of the NATS Flight Disruption
September 9th, 2026
The recent technical issue affecting NATS has caused widespread flight delays and cancellations across UK airports.
While the NATS system has now been restored, the impact on air cargo is likely to continue as airlines work through the resulting backlog.
What happened to UK flights?
The disruption began on Tuesday 8 September following a technical problem with the NATS flight processing system.
The issue resulted in significant restrictions on aircraft movements and affected departures and arrivals at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and others.
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled or significantly disrupted, with further cancellations and delays continuing into Wednesday as airlines attempt to recover their schedules.
NATS has stated that the issue was resolved and that airspace remained open, but the recovery process has taken longer than expected.
That distinction is important for freight.
An air traffic control system can be back online while the freight network is still dealing with the consequences.
What does this mean for air freight?
A significant amount of international cargo travels in the belly hold of passenger aircraft. When passenger flights are cancelled or delayed, cargo can also be:
- Rolled to a later flight
- Delayed at the airport
- Rebooked onto alternative services
- Affected by missed connections
- Subject to reduced capacity and longer transit times
The disruption may continue even after flights begin operating normally, as airlines reposition aircraft and crews and clear accumulated passenger and cargo volumes.
What should shippers do?
If you have urgent cargo moving through a UK airport, we recommend checking its status with us as soon as possible.
For time-critical shipments, alternative options may include different flights, airlines, airports or dedicated freighter services, depending on available capacity.
The key is to act early. As airlines work through the backlog, alternative air freight capacity is likely to become increasingly limited.
If your cargo has been affected, speak to our team about the available options for your shipment. We can review alternative routing and help minimise delays to your supply chain.
Information correct as of 9 September 2026 and subject to ongoing airline and airport updates.