Jet2 demands action after air traffic failure strands 7,200 passengers

Jet2 has called for urgent improvements to National Air Traffic Services (NATS) following a major air traffic control failure that left approximately 7,200 passengers requiring repatriation support. The technical fault caused widespread disruption across several United Kingdom airports, including Stansted Airport, where 107 flights were cancelled and 241 were delayed on September 8.

To manage the crisis, Jet2 deployed extra aircraft and arranged more than a dozen additional flights to return customers from destinations such as Greece, Turkey, Spain, and Malta. The airline also utilized ground transport and third-party capacity to assist stranded travelers. Jet2 Chief Executive Steve Heapy stated that while staff worked to recover operations, holidaymakers should not have been placed in such a position due to the NATS failure.