Aviation

UK air traffic failure could cost airlines £110m - Willie Walsh

Former Aer Lingus chief says ‘unfair’ incident will not cost air traffic control system

Willie Walsh, director-general of global airline body the International Air Transport Association: “This system should be designed to reject data that’s incorrect, not to collapse the system.” Picture: Akos Stiller/Bloomberg

A technical blip in the UK air traffic control system - which saw hundreds of flights delayed or cancelled across the UK and Ireland - will cost airlines £100 million, Willie Walsh has said.

The former Aer Lingus chief and reigning director-general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) described the incident, which has wrecked havoc in Irish airports, as “staggering”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “This system should be designed to reject ...