NATS records busy August despite strike and weather challenges

In August 2019, NATS handled 248,759 flights in UK airspace, an increase of 0.9 per cent compared to August 2018.

There was growth in many areas of the operation compared to the same month in 2018 – non-transatlantic international overflying traffic saw an increase of 11.3 per cent; traffic grew at both Swanwick and Prestwick centres by 0.7 per cent; and there was also growth at six of the 13 airports where NATS controls, including two of the ’big five’ London Airports – Luton and Heathrow.

NATS handled almost 24 per cent of all the traffic in Europe in August and the levels of air traffic control delay in UK airspace were very low; across all 248,759 flights handled in August, 98 per cent had no NATS attributable delay. Year to date, the average air traffic control delay per flight is 8.9 seconds.

Juliet Kennedy, NATS Operations Director, said: “August was a busy month and not without its challenges as strike action and disruptive weather events meant last minute changes to flight plans and routes. All of our operational staff, across our centres and airports, have worked extremely hard to maintain and deliver a high standard of service for customers.”