LONDON — All departing flights at London Heathrow Airport have been grounded following a technical failure in air traffic control equipment early Tuesday afternoon, adding to a morning of operational disruptions at the international hub.
The departure ground stop took effect at 12:48 p.m. local time after an unexpected system issue disrupted Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications and equipment. Airport management confirmed that all outgoing operations have been temporarily halted while technical teams investigate and work to restore normal systems functionality.
The airports are affected due to ATC Equipment /Weather (Turbulence)/Airspace Management issue.
The breakdown comes shortly after a separate incident temporarily disrupted Heathrow arrivals earlier in the day. At 11:07 a.m. local time, incoming flights on runway 27R were suspended due to a bird strike. Controllers quickly diverted all active flight operations to runway 27L to minimize disruption to incoming traffic.
Ground teams cleared and inspected runway 27R, allowing it to reopen six minutes later at 11:13 a.m. However, the subsequent system-wide ATC outage at 12:48 p.m. has caused further delays across the airfield, leaving departing aircraft queuing on taxiways and thousands of passengers waiting in airport terminals.
Heathrow officials advise all departing passengers to check the status of their flights directly with their airlines before traveling to the airport, as severe knock-on delays are expected throughout the afternoon and evening.
Udpates
- Aegean Airlines A3601 to Athens is on runway 27L, ready for departure, it finally crossed the runway 27L to join terminal 4.
- London Gatwick flight operations are resuming.
- Takeoffs are resuming at LHR, American Airlines AA55 is departing LHR to Chicago., 1:35 PM local time.
- LHR has new been authorised to restart departures on CPT and DET.
- High calculated take-off times are expected until 17:00 UTC.
Second incident
UPDATE 15:55 BST
All flight operations are now stopped at London Heathrow due to ATC Equipment (Data processing issues). Aerodrome not available for arrivals between 1400-1600.
UPDATE 16:23 BST
ALL flights to LHR are holding or diverting.
UDPATE 16:49 BST
Due to faulty ATC Equipment in Swanwick centre the entire EGTT Airspace is operating at reduced rate. The following airports are requested to provide diversions capabilities:
- EBBR / BRU – Brussels National
- EBOS / OST – Oostende
- EDDF / FRA – Frankfurt
- EDDK / CGN – Koln/Bonn
- EDDL / DUS – Dusseldorf
- EDDM / MUC – Munchen
- EGCC / MAN – Manchester
- EHAM / AMS – Amsterdam Schiphol
- EHEH / EIN – Eindhoven
- EIDW / DUB – Dublin
- EKCH / CPH – Copenhagen/Kastrup
- LFPG / CDG – Paris Charles De Gaulle
UDPATE 17:28 BST
Per Eurocontrol, London airports are closed until (UTC) :
- EGGW (London Luton) 2200.
- EGKK (London Gatwick) 2200.
- EGLL (London Heathrow) 2200.
- EGLC (London City) 2355.
- EGSS (London Stansted) 2200.
UPDATE 20:57 BST
- EGGW (London Luton)
Arrivals regulated at a recovery rate due to ATC Equipment (Data processing issues). - EGKK (London Gatwick)
Arrivals regulated at a reduced rate due to ATC Equipment (Data processing issues).
Aerodrome not available for arrivals between 1500-2100. - EGLL (London Heathrow)
Arrivals regulated at a reduced rate due to ATC Equipment (Data processing issues).
Aerodrome not available for arrivals between 1400- 0300. - EGSS (London Stansted)
Arrivals regulated at a reduced rate due to ATC Equipment (Data processing issues).
Aerodrome not available for arrivals between 1700-2200.
