Heathrow passengers queue as delays continue

An air traffic control problem is causing widespread delays. Credit: PA Wire

Flights have been delayed and cancelled at airports across the UK and Ireland because of a technical problem at an air traffic control centre.

National Air Traffic Services (Nats) does not currently know how long it will take for the situation to be rectified.

Thousands of people have been affected at major airports including Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick.

Nats said the issue arose at its control centre in Hampshire, in the early hours of the morning when a computing glitch meant the night-time operation failed to properly switch over to the daytime system.