Radar problem caused air traffic control glitch

A “RADAR-related issue” caused the air traffic control failure that grounded flights across the UK on Wednesday, officials have said.

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Nats chief executive Martin Rolfe was summoned to speak with Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander yesterday - a day after thousands of passengers were disrupted by the technical problem which forced the cancellation of more than 150 flights. Airlines are demanding an explanation for what happened.

A spokesperson for Nats said: “This was a radar-related issue which was resolved by quickly switching to the backup system during which time we reduced traffic to ensure safety. There is no evidence that this was cyber related.”

It is understood that the backup system continues to be used by controllers while investigations continue.