Passengers are stranded at Edinburgh Airport following significant IT issues affecting air traffic control, leading to widespread flight cancellations and indefinite delays.
The disruption began around 4pm on Sunday, December 15, when Edinburgh Airport stated: “Due to an IT issue with Air Traffic Control, no flights are currently taking off or landing. Engineers are working to resolve the issue. Passengers should check their flight status with their airline before travelling to the airport.”
Images from inside the terminal show large crowds of frustrated travellers waiting for updates. Among them is Andrea, who was set to fly to Bratislava at 3:30pm. She learned after 5pm that her flight had been cancelled. Andrea expressed her frustration, particularly because she was traveling to Slovakia for a crucial medical appointment.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Andrea said: “It’s really frustrating. We queued up for boarding as usual, but then airport announcements started coming in about delays due to ‘air traffic control issues.’ Some people are upset because they’ll miss connecting flights. For me, it’s especially hard as I have an important medical appointment tomorrow morning, which is why I was flying back so early this Christmas.”
Andrea added that EasyJet flights, along with others, have been delayed indefinitely due to the ongoing issues. The disruption has also affected incoming flights to Edinburgh, with planes across Europe held on the ground.
Doug Forbes, a Balerno resident, found himself stranded on the tarmac in Malaga after his return flight to Scotland was delayed. Doug, who was supposed to depart at 6:15 pmGMT, explained that passengers were informed of a potential three-hour delay but warned it could extend further due to the IT failure. Speaking from the plane, Doug said: “We were told it could be three hours, but it’s uncertain. With an IT failure, the wait could be much longer.”
The technical issues have caused significant disruptions for passengers both at Edinburgh Airport and at airports across Europe, with engineers working urgently to resolve the problem. Travellers are advised to stay updated on their flight status through their airlines.
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