DAYS OF CHAOS AFTER AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MELTDOWN

AIR travellers are facing days of chaos after a computer meltdown closed down UK skies.

- Giles Sheldrick

Hundreds of flights were grounded yesterday, stranding thousands of fliers at home and abroad.

The glitch was said to have been "resolved" last night but the aftermath is likely to cause disruption for days. More than three-quarters of flights due to leave Heathrow were delayed, according to Flightradar data, as were 74% of those at Gatwick plus 81% of planes at Manchester and 86% at Bristol airport.

British Airways told its passengers waiting at Heathrow that no flights would take off before 6pm, and all check-in desks were closed.

Travel writer Simon Calder said: "I fear there are going to be an awful lot of people waking up today where they don't want to be.

There are hundreds of thousands of people flying into the UK." He warned air traffic control could be "in disarray...possibly for a few further days ahead".

Among the thousands affected was BBC sports host Gabby Logan, who was due to be reunited with husband Kenny, 51, plus children Lois, 18, and Reuben, 17, after she covered the World Athletics Championships in Hungary.

She posted she was "hours from hugging my family" when her flight was held on the Budapest runway.

Gabby, 50, added: "We have been told UK airspace is shut. We could be here for 12 hours. So we sit and wait." Hamstrung air traffic controllers had to input flight plans manually, causing extensive delays.

National Air Traffic Services, which controls UK airspace, said a "technical issue" had forced the imposition of traffic flow restrictions in order to maintain safety.

NATS officials continued: "We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

Turmoil