UK aviation regulator announces scope of independent review into NATS technical incident on 8 September 2026 Published on: 25 September 2026 | Category: News

We use necessary cookies to make our website work. We'd also like to use optional cookies to understand how you use it, and to help us improve it. For more information, please read our cookie policy . The UK Civil Aviation Authority has today (25 September) announced the terms of reference for its independent review into the NATS technical incident on 8 September 2026. This follows a request to the Civil Aviation Authority from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in the wake of the incident, which caused disruption to travellers and saw more than 2,000 flights being delayed, cancelled or diverted. A preliminary report published by NATS on 18 September said the incident was caused by a software defect. The Civil Aviation Authority review will consider NATS’ report on the causes of disruption that day, understand the impact on consumers and identify any additional actions needed to strengthen confidence in the resilience of the UK's air traffic management system in the future. This will include consideration of: The review will also be informed by other similar events, including those of Monday 21 September. An initial report will be provided to the Secretary of State by the end of January 2027. The final report will be provided by 8 March 2027. An “independent challenge panel”, whose members will be appointed by the CAA and approved by the Secretary of State, will provide robust expert challenge and advice. The CAA review team will engage with NATS, airlines, airports, passenger groups and other stakeholders throughout the course of its work. The full terms of reference can be found on the CAA website: www.caa.co.uk/CAP3315 For further information, please contact: press.office@caa.co.uk