AS NATS ATC SYSTEM FAILURE (MON, 14 JULY) DISRUPTS OVER 10,000 PASSENGERS

Ryanair, the UK’s No.1 low fares airline, today (Mon, 14 July) called on NATS CEO, Martin Rolfe, to fix NATS or quit after yet another NATS ATC system failure today (Mon, 14 July), which delayed over 50 Ryanair flights by up to 45 mins, disrupting over 10,000 UK passengers travelling to/from Stansted Airport.

It is completely unacceptable that UK passengers – many of whom are heading away on their summer holidays with young families – are suffering unnecessary ATC delays due to yet another NATS system failure and lack of preparedness. Today’s ATC disruptions further demonstrate that overpaid NATS CEO, Martin Rolfe, is not up to the job and should step aside and let someone competent take over.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“It is unacceptable that passengers continue to suffer ATC delays due to Martin Rolfe’s mismanagement of NATS, with yet another ATC system failure today (Mon, 14 July), causing over 50 Ryanair flight delays and unfairly disrupting over 10,000 of our passengers travelling to/from Stansted Airport.

UK Transport Minister, Heidi Alexander, must take immediate action to sack Martin Rolfe and reform NATS’s hopeless ATC service, so that airlines and passengers do not suffer further avoidable ATC delays at the hands of NATS mismanagement.

While today’s ATC disruptions are due to a NATS ATC system issue and lack of preparedness, which is entirely beyond airlines’ control, we apologise to our affected passengers for any inconvenience caused. We encourage all passengers affected by these NATS ATC delays to visit the ‘Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight’ webpage and demand UK ATC reform.”