The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has invited airlines, airports and their representative bodies to submit evidence to its independent review of the UK’s air traffic management resilience, following the technical incident at NATS on 8 September.
image: NATS
The three-week call for input closes on 23 November. The review will examine the causes and consequences of the disruption, the resilience of air traffic management systems and the effectiveness of preparations for, and recovery from, major incidents.
The incident disrupted more than 2,000 flights, with services delayed, cancelled or diverted. A preliminary report published by NATS on 18 September attributed the failure to a software defect.
The CAA’s review will consider the operational and passenger impacts of the incident, alongside NATS’ approach to renewing, replacing and modernising critical systems. It will also examine governance, regulatory oversight and whether previous recommendations on resilience have been implemented.
The review will assess how NATS and the wider aviation system prepared for the incident, responded to it and restored services. It will also consider lessons from previous incidents and reviews, and identify actions that could strengthen the resilience of UK air traffic management.
The CAA is seeking evidence on the disruption’s operational effects, including how airlines and airports managed the incident and its aftermath. Respondents are encouraged to provide operational data, examples and practical recommendations.
The review team will also engage directly with air navigation service providers, flight data processing system suppliers and other relevant stakeholders. Consumer impacts will be considered through targeted engagement, although the review will not investigate individual passenger complaints or compensation claims.
An initial findings report is due in January 2027, with the final report scheduled for March. The review was commissioned by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander following the September incident. The call for input is available through the CAA consultation website.