News world Air India’s London-Bound Flight Lands In Zurich As Air Traffic Control Glitch Disrupts UK Flights
Last Updated:September 09, 2026, 08:40 IST
Nearly 1,300 flights to and from British airports had been cancelled, according to aircraft tracking platform FlightRadar24.
Heathrow Airport said arrivals had been suspended for the remainder of the day to ensure the safety of passengers and staff.
UK ATC Disruptions: An Air India flight from Mumbai to London was diverted to Zurich after a technical issue affecting Britain’s air traffic control system disrupted departing flights from airports across the United Kingdom on Tuesday (local time).
The flight, AI 131 (Mumbai-London) carrying over 290 passengers, landed at Zurich Airport after the disruption affected operations at Heathrow.
Read More: Nearly 1,300 Flights Cancelled Across UK After Air Traffic Control Glitch Sparks Travel Chaos
After landing in Zurich, passengers initially remained onboard the aircraft and were asked to wait as the situation at Heathrow was expected to be resolved.
However, the flight was subsequently cancelled and all passengers were asked to deboard at Zurich Airport.
The disruption came amid a technical issue in the UK’s air traffic control system, which affected flight operations at several major airports, including Heathrow.
UK Flight Disruptions
Meanwhile, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom on Tuesday after a technical problem at the country’s air traffic control provider NATS triggered widespread disruption at major airports.
Nearly 1,300 flights to and from British airports had been cancelled, according to aircraft tracking platform FlightRadar24.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Edinburgh were among the airports affected, with Dublin Airport in neighbouring Ireland also reporting dozens of cancellations.
In a post on X earlier on Tuesday evening, the service said, “Inbound flights to London airports + Manchester + Birmingham looking very different tonight compared to last Tuesday. More than 1,000 flights have been canceled at UK airports following a technical failure at a NATS ATC facility earlier today.”
Heathrow, the UK’s busiest airport, said arrivals had been suspended for the remainder of Tuesday, while departures resumed amid continuing disruption. Airlines were forced to cancel, delay or divert flights as aircraft and crew were left out of position.
In a statement published on X, the airport said that departures have resumed but “disruption is expected to continue”, so it advises passengers to check with their airline for the latest information for their flight before travelling to the airport.
“We apologise to those affected and are supporting our local Nats team and airline partners as they work through the resulting disruption,” it added.
Airlines Affected
British Airways cancelled or diverted more than 100 flights, affecting tens of thousands of passengers. Ryanair said more than 65,000 of its customers had been disrupted and that it had cancelled more than 50 flights.
According to FlightRadar24, 177 flights have been cancelled so far on Wednesday in London.
Air India also warned that the disruption could affect some of its services, as aircraft and crew were displaced following the incident. The airline advised passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Quick AnswersPowered by
Ask News18Why was the Air India flight from Mumbai to London diverted to Zurich on Tuesday, September 8, 2026?
The Air India flight AI 131 from Mumbai to London was diverted to Zurich due to a technical issue affecting Britain’s air traffic control system, which disrupted flights across the United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Which airports in the UK were affected by the air traffic control glitch on September 8, 2026?
The air traffic control glitch on September 8, 2026, affected several major UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. Dublin Airport in Ireland also reported cancellations.
How many flights were cancelled across the UK due to the air traffic control disruption on Tuesday, September 8, 2026?
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled across the United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, following a technical problem at the country’s air traffic control provider NATS. FlightRadar24 reported nearly 1,300 cancellations to and from British airports.
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Shobhit Gupta
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degre…Read More
First Published:
September 09, 2026, 08:37 IST
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