Heathrow Cancels More Flights as UK Air Traffic Disruption Drags On

Heathrow Airport cancelled further flights on Thursday as disruption linked to an air traffic control problem carried into another day, according to the London Evening Standard, which reported the developments live.

The BBC reported that travellers described the experience as a nightmare, and that one passenger said a shutdown cost them more than £1,000. The same broadcaster carried accounts of people facing chaos at airports after the air traffic issue.

Coverage of the episode has also turned to accountability. Sky News reported on the air traffic control chief who earns £1.5m and now faces criticism over the disruption. The network identified the organisation at the centre of the situation as NATS.

Not every report pointed the same way. The Independent said airports had returned to normal, while noting that passengers are unlikely to receive refunds — a contrast with the continuing cancellations the Evening Standard was reporting at Heathrow the same day.

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The material available does not specify the number of flights cancelled, the cause of the air traffic control problem, or the total number of passengers affected.

What to watch next: whether Heathrow operations settle in the coming days, and how compensation questions are handled for travellers whose plans were upended.