Brief
Ryanair blames NATS glitches and ash cloud for 1,000 September cancellations
The airline cites a connectivity issue at Prestwick, a September 8 software fault, Belgian strikes and volcanic ash as causes.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Ryanair said more than 1,000 of its September flights were cancelled because of two separate National Air Traffic Services (NATS) problems, ATC strikes in Belgium and ash from Mount Etna, according to the airline’s statement.
What happened
In September, Ryanair experienced two distinct NATS incidents within two weeks. The first was a software fault on 8 September that triggered widespread disruption across the UK. The second, a "connectivity issue" at NATS’s Prestwick centre in Scotland, occurred later in the month and was unrelated to the earlier software problem. In addition, scheduled ATC strikes in Belgium and volcanic ash from eruptions of Mount Etna disrupted European routes.
What the reports add
Both the Standard and the Independent reported that Ryanair linked the cancellations to the two NATS incidents, the Belgian strikes and the Etna ash cloud. The Standard noted that the Prestwick issue was described as a "connectivity issue" and that it was separate from the September 8 software fault. The Independent repeated the same details but did not add new information.
What was said
Ryanair’s spokesperson told the Standard that the airline was among those calling for NATS chief Martin Rolfe to resign. The airline also said Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has arranged a meeting with NATS chairman Sir Warren East to discuss the problems, as reported by both outlets.
How it came about
Earlier in September, NATS suffered a software defect that cancelled over 2,000 flights, prompting a CAA review and calls for leadership change (previous Felo coverage). A second fault at Prestwick later in the month affected 25,000 Ryanair passengers and delayed more than 140 flights (previous Felo coverage). Those incidents set the context for Ryanair’s September cancellations.
Key facts
- Ryanair cancelled more than 1,000 flights in September due to NATS faults, Belgian ATC strikes and Mount Etna ash. (standard.co.uk)
- The September 8 incident was a software fault; the later incident was a connectivity issue at Prestwick. (standard.co.uk)
- Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander scheduled a meeting with NATS chairman Sir Warren East. (standard.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-09-08 — NATS software defect caused widespread UK flight cancellations.
- 2026-09-21 — Second NATS fault at Prestwick centre disrupted 25,000 Ryanair passengers.
- 2026-10-02 — Ryanair announced over 1,000 September cancellations linked to NATS issues, Belgian strikes and Etna ash.
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk
- [2] independent.co.uk
