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A technical fault in the UK’s air traffic control systems on Wednesday sparked widespread disruption at the height of the summer getaway, with flights across major airports halted, diverted or turned back mid-air. Though the glitch lasted just 20 minutes, the knock-on effects stranded travellers for hours – and in some cases, days.
As passengers faced cancelled holidays, long delays and hours stuck on grounded planes, fresh questions have been raised over whether Britain’s travel infrastructure is fit for purpose.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander summoned the head of National Air Traffic Services (NATS) for urgent talks on Thursday, while furious airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet have demanded answers – and resignations. They point to a similar failure just last summer as proof that lessons haven’t been learned.
Defenders argue that even the best systems can fail occasionally, and that the rapid recovery showed overall resilience.
But critics say repeated issues, outdated infrastructure, and underinvestment are combining to make UK travel increasingly unreliable – whether it’s in the skies, on the rails or across the roads.
So is this just an unfortunate blip – or the latest sign that Britain’s travel networks are no longer up to the job? Should infrastructure be overhauled and modernised, or is public criticism unfair on systems that work well most of the time?
We want to hear from you. Is Britain’s travel infrastructure still fit for purpose? Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below – we’ll feature the most compelling responses and discuss the results in the coming days.
All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can take part in the debate. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.