KM Malta Airlines stranded passengers face week-long wait after UK air traffic chaos
KM Malta Airlines cannot rebook passengers stranded in London until next week due to fully booked flights during peak season.
KM Malta Airlines passengers left stranded in London after Tuesday's UK air traffic control failure face a week without alternative flights, the national carrier confirmed.
The airline cancelled two return flights between London and Malta after a technical glitch hit NATS, the UK's air traffic control system. Hundreds of flights were scrapped across the country, with Heathrow the worst affected.
KM Malta Airlines said the cancellations came at a time of exceptionally high travel demand. A public holiday in Malta, major entertainment events drawing visitors, and the end of the summer holiday period have left most flights fully booked.
As a consequence, the airline cannot offer affected passengers alternative flights for the remainder of this week. It is assisting customers with rebooking on later dates subject to availability, and passengers who no longer wish to travel can request a full refund through the airline's website.
KM's scheduled flights from Malta to London departed on time on Wednesday morning. But the wider disruption continues across the UK, with 177 flights cancelled on Wednesday following 1,300 cancellations the day before, according to FlightRadar24.
NATS said it was working to resolve the disruption and apologised unreservedly, calling it a very complex recovery that will take time. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was set to meet NATS boss Martin Rolfe on Wednesday, seeking assurances that lessons will be learned.
Ryanair COO Neal McMahon repeated his calls for Rolfe to be fired, accusing him of failing UK travellers again. According to Sky News, Rolfe accepted full responsibility but declined to say if he was considering quitting.
The glitch follows a similar technical issue in July last year and a major system failure in 2023 that affected more than 700,000 passengers. For Malta's business community, the episode underscores the fragility of air connectivity during peak periods and the reputational risk for the national airline when external disruptions hit.