The widespread flight disruption that stranded thousands of passengers was caused by incoming flight data, according to the heads of air traffic control.
National Air Traffic Services stated that Monday's technical issue was caused by an unprocessable flight plan.
Passengers stranded abroad and in the United Kingdom were forced to find alternative routes home. Passengers have been warned to anticipate continued ripple effects.
One passenger told sources that she and her young children slept on the airport floor following the cancellation of their flight. The National Security Agency has verified that there are no indications that the failure was caused by a cyberattack.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will conduct an investigation into the incident.Martin Rolfe, the chief executive officer of Nats, mentioned that initial investigations indicate that the problem is related to some of the flight data we received.
Both the primary and backup systems responded by suspending automatic processing to prevent incorrect safety-related data from being presented to an air traffic controller or influencing the rest of the air traffic system.
He subsequently described the issue as "extremely rare" and expressed confidence that it would not occur again.
The Department of Transport stated that it had authorized night flights to all UK airports it regulates in an effort to alleviate the UK flight backlog.
It follows a meeting between the National Security Agency, the Civil Aviation Administration, airlines, terminals, trade organizations, and the Border Patrol, presided over by Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
After the meeting, Mr. Harper reiterated that the ripple effects of Monday's disruption are likely to persist over the next few days, and advised travelers to contact their airlines prior to heading to the airport.
The head of an industry organization stated that the organization has crucial questions to answer regarding the malfunction, which Nats fixed three hours after verifying the issue on Monday at noon.
Passengers have described experiencing significant disruptions due to the issue.
Sarah Skellern is one of the thousands of passengers affected by the aftermath, with many unable to return to the United Kingdom or travel abroad for previously scheduled vacations.
Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest two-runway airport, advised passengers to verify with their airline before traveling to the airport on Tuesday, citing the possibility of ongoing disruptions on certain routes.
EasyJet's operations were disrupted on Tuesday, but as of Tuesday evening, the airline was operating ordinarily.
Michael O'Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, stated that approximately 250 flights were canceled on Monday, affecting approximately 40,000 passengers.
On Tuesday, 70 flights were canceled, he reported, adding that the airline hoped to resume "normal operations" with "minimal delays" on Wednesday.
BA has advised clients on short-haul flights to confirm that their flight is still operating prior to arriving at the airport.
Customers scheduled to travel on a short-haul flight on Tuesday or Wednesday may be able to reschedule their flights at no additional cost.
Tui stated that in addition to a refund, its customers would be entitled to a "£100 per person future holiday voucher." According to the CAA, an airline has a responsibility to provide food, drink, and lodging for overnight delays.
If a flight is canceled, the earliest opportunity should be taken to offer passengers a refund or alternative travel arrangements.
