An independent review will be conducted by Britain's civil aviation regulator regarding the air traffic control failure that occurred last week and caused widespread flight disruptions, leaving numerous passengers stranded.
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The response of NATS, the country's air traffic control provider, will also be evaluated as part of the review. In the event that there is evidence of NATS breaching its statutory and licensing obligations, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will determine if further action is necessary, according to Rob Bishton, Joint-Interim Chief Executive at the UK's CAA.
The incident on August 28 resulted in roughly 1,500 canceled flights and thousands of travelers being stranded at airports overseas during a busy travel period and public holiday in parts of Britain. The head of NATS has stated that this type of problem will not occur again. The regulator has received NATS' preliminary report, which attributes the issue to an anomaly that compelled the system to halt processing flight plans.
To ensure safety, air traffic controllers shut down the system and switched to manual operation to continue service. On Monday, the CAA shared its analysis with the government and outlined its next steps. In a letter to transport minister Mark Harper, the regulator stated that it agreed with NATS' assertion that the incident did not pose a safety concern at any point. The regulator has now comprehended the event and, if it recurs, it should be resolved promptly with no effect on the aviation system.