Passengers stranded after UK air traffic control failure

The United Kingdom on Monday experienced a crash in the air traffic control system which caused delays and cancellations in the air schedules, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

Fortunately, no airplane crashes have been reported.

The air traffic control unit is vital to the air transportation industry as they serve as eyes and ears of pilots flying the planes. The unit typically does the following: Monitor and direct the movement of aircraft on the ground and in the air, control all ground traffic at airport runways and taxiways, issue takeoff and landing instructions to pilots.

Tribune Online gathered that any minor setback in the air control unit could virtually lead to massive destruction as planes are blind without them. With this in mind, aviation professionals have either rescheduled or cancelled flight plans.

According to BBC, several UK airports and airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and TUI, were hit by delays and cancellations on Monday.

Passengers have expressed how this disruption has affected their lives in various ways including a passenger at the Belfast international Airport who said she’d likely miss a heart transplant check-up after her flight got canceled. 

Aviation analyst say this disruption could have aftereffects spanning for days as flight will have to be rescheduled.

SOURCE: BBC

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