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Flights disrupted after computer failure at UK control centre

63 points by ilghiro 12y ago

atlbeer 12y ago
Semi-misleading title. LON airspace was closed due to a failure (unconfirmed as power) at the Swansick facility [1]. Hence, the EU regulators have required them shut the airspace. 1: http://www.nats.aero/news/swanwick-technical-failure/ http://www.nats.aero/news/swanwick-technical-failure/
atlbeer 12y ago
Problem has now been resolved and airspace is reopening slowly: https://twitter.com/NATSPressOffice/status/543432499779895297 https://twitter.com/NATSPressOffice/status/54343249977989529...
DigitalSea 12y ago
I would imagine being an air traffic controller right now would be very stressful. London Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, Gatwick is also pretty popular as well. Having to reroute planes out of London to alternative airports throughout Europe must be one hell of a task. But having said that, I bet every major airport in the world has a plan B for this kind of thing.
- cjrp 12y ago
  Add in London Stansted, London City and London Luton and you've got a very busy controller!
  - Major_Grooves 12y ago
    Don't forget London Oxford Airport!
akramhussein 12y ago
Been stuck on the runway for 3 hours. Next in line to leave to Copenhagen.
- akramhussein 12y ago
  UPDATE: Missed my connection. All good! Got upgraded to business and put on another flight. Every cloud....:)
keithpeter 12y ago
http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2014/12/12/all_london_airspace_down_due_to_major_outage/#c_2387268 http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2014/12/12/all_londo... Allegedly UPS failure.
chatman 12y ago
That's another reason why I'd never want to fly to USA via London. I prefer all the middle east airlines.
- chatman 12y ago
  Stop downvoting me unnecessarily. I am stating my reasoning of avoiding London airport, and it makes reasonable sense. Similar thing has happened to London ATC before, as per the video report in the article, where a new upgrade to the software disrupted flights last year. Together with all the Iceland volcanoes etc., my reasons to avoid this airport are all legitimate. Even if you have other choices, you don't need to downvote me.

63 points by ilghiro 12y ago

Semi-misleading title. LON airspace was closed due to a failure (unconfirmed as power) at the Swansick facility [1]. Hence, the EU regulators have required them shut the airspace. 1: http://www.nats.aero/news/swanwick-technical-failure/ http://www.nats.aero/news/swanwick-technical-failure/

atlbeer 12y ago

Problem has now been resolved and airspace is reopening slowly: https://twitter.com/NATSPressOffice/status/543432499779895297 https://twitter.com/NATSPressOffice/status/54343249977989529...

DigitalSea 12y ago

I would imagine being an air traffic controller right now would be very stressful. London Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, Gatwick is also pretty popular as well. Having to reroute planes out of London to alternative airports throughout Europe must be one hell of a task. But having said that, I bet every major airport in the world has a plan B for this kind of thing.

cjrp 12y ago
Add in London Stansted, London City and London Luton and you've got a very busy controller!
- Major_Grooves 12y ago
  Don't forget London Oxford Airport!

akramhussein 12y ago

Been stuck on the runway for 3 hours. Next in line to leave to Copenhagen.

akramhussein 12y ago
UPDATE: Missed my connection. All good! Got upgraded to business and put on another flight. Every cloud....:)

keithpeter 12y ago

http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2014/12/12/all_london_airspace_down_due_to_major_outage/#c_2387268 http://forums.theregister.co.uk/forum/2/2014/12/12/all_londo... Allegedly UPS failure.

chatman 12y ago

That's another reason why I'd never want to fly to USA via London. I prefer all the middle east airlines.

chatman 12y ago
Stop downvoting me unnecessarily. I am stating my reasoning of avoiding London airport, and it makes reasonable sense. Similar thing has happened to London ATC before, as per the video report in the article, where a new upgrade to the software disrupted flights last year. Together with all the Iceland volcanoes etc., my reasons to avoid this airport are all legitimate. Even if you have other choices, you don't need to downvote me.