EXCLUSIVE: GB News issues breaking alert as Simon Calder shares urgent travel warning
GB News interrupted its coverage for a breaking travel update as Simon Calder warned passengers they could face major delays and cancellations following an air traffic control fault.
The travel expert appeared on the channel after problems at the National Air Traffic Services centre in Prestwick caused disruption across Scotland, northern England and beyond.
NATS confirmed engineers had been called in to investigate the technical issue, with air traffic restrictions imposed to safely manage demand.
Speaking to hosts Andrew Pierce and Miriam Cates, Calder warned that the consequences were already being felt across several airports.
“I am seeing dozens of flight cancellations,” he said.
He pointed in particular to disruption involving EasyJet, explaining that flights in and out of Glasgow and Edinburgh had been heavily affected.
“For example, EasyJet alone in and out of Glasgow and Edinburgh has cancelled a dozen flights, many of them to and from Belfast,” Calder said.
Simon Calder Issues Grim Warning to Passengers
Calder explained that the technical problem was located at the Prestwick centre, which manages air traffic across Scotland and northern England.
He stressed that NATS had said the fault was unrelated to another technical problem earlier in September.
However, he warned that the impact was still significant.
“If you are merely delayed an hour or so, getting to or from one of the airports, Newcastle, Leeds, Bradford, or indeed one of the Belfast airports, or anywhere in Scotland, then you’re doing well because I’m seeing lots of cancellations,” he said.
British Airways passengers were also facing disruption.
Calder said flights to and from London Heathrow were experiencing delays of up to four hours, alongside some cancellations.
He warned that those delays could create further problems for passengers relying on connecting flights.
“Those right connections are of course really important for the people who are changing planes,” he said.
NATS Confirms Engineers Are Investigating
NATS later issued a statement confirming it was dealing with the technical fault.
“We are investigating a technical issue at our Prestwick centre in Scotland,” a spokesperson said.
“To maintain safety, air traffic regulations have been applied to manage traffic demand.”
The organisation said engineers were already on site attempting to identify and resolve the problem.
It also stressed that the incident was separate from the technical difficulties experienced earlier in the month.
“The issue is unrelated to the technical problems experienced earlier this month,” the statement said.
NATS apologised to passengers and advised anyone due to travel to check directly with their airline for the latest information.
“We apologise for the disruption and any delays to passengers’ journeys,” the spokesperson added.
“Passengers should check with their airline for the latest information on their flight.”
‘An Awful Lot of Upset, Stressed People’
Calder went on to discuss the complexity of the systems involved in managing Britain’s airspace.
“We’re talking about incredibly complicated software,” he explained.
He referenced previous arguments that the UK operates some of the busiest airspace in the world and that technical problems can occasionally occur as a result.
Calder added that operators had been looking at ways to recover more quickly when systems fail.
“And bluntly they are saying we are going to get smarter at turning it off and turning it on again because that’s what they did last time,” he said.
He joked that he had not yet heard whether the Prestwick system had been dealt with in the same way.
“I haven’t yet heard whether they’ve turned the Prestwick centre off and turned it on again,” he said.
But his overall message for passengers was far more serious.
Calder said large numbers of people were already facing uncertainty over holidays, business trips and family travel.
“I do know there’s an awful lot of rather upset, stressed people desperate to get away on holiday, to go work trips in family or whatever it is,” he said.
“And once again, they’ve been flummoxed.”
With cancellations and lengthy delays already being reported, passengers were being urged to check their flight status before travelling to the airport and to remain in contact with their airline while NATS engineers worked to resolve the fault.