Dawn O’Porter and Radio 1 DJ Jordan North are just some of the famous faces who have been left stranded after the UK’s leading provider of air traffic control systems experienced “technical issues” on Monday.
Thousands of passengers were left stranded in the UK and abroad after the technical failure across UK airspace, with more than 1,500 departing and arriving flights cancelled, according to aviation analytics company Cirium. That was equivalent to around 27 per cent of planned flights.
Britain’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said it experienced ‘technical issues’ that forced controllers to switch from an automatic system for landing and dispatching flights to a manual one, on one of the busiest days of the year.
In the wake of the chaos, Dawn O’Porter, 44, shared her frustrations from Spain, revealing that she and her family would be extending their time in Mallorca.
Delayed at Malaga airport for possibly ‘many hours’, and they’ve ran out of beer at the terminal! 😫😫 #airtrafficcontrol pic.twitter.com/jRHLQdbMTI
— Jordan North (@jordannorth1) August 28, 2023
Taking to Instagram on Monday, she first asked: “Anyone with any knowledge know if there is any chance of landing at Gatwick today? Should I go through security or not? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
“On my own with the kids so deffo don’t want to be stuck there for the night. Obvs no one here knows anything. Sorry for everyone travelling today. Such bull***t.”
Dawn, who is married to Bridesmaids and The IT Crowd star Chris O’Dowd, 43, with whom she shares two sons, later added: “Looks like I’ll be in Mallorca for a while. What a s**t show.
“Thanks everyone. I hope you all get home OK. I’m heading back to the island to find wine.”
Meanwhile, Jordan North was left stranded at Malaga airport due to the air traffic chaos and just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, the airport “ran out of beer”.
Captioning his post with a picture of the bar, the 33-year-old wrote: “Delayed at Malaga airport for possibly ‘many hours’, and they’ve ran out of beer at the terminal!”
Also stuck abroad is presenter Christine McGuinness who appeared to embrace the travel chaos as she had found accommodation for her and her brood.
Writing alongside a bikini selfie, the 35-year-old shared on Instagram: “Stranded due to network failures across the UK airports.
“No idea when we can get a flight home but I feel very lucky we found a place to stay. I get extra time to make more memories with my babies.”
Posting another update hours later, she added: “I trust the universe. I had jobs booked all week, a million things to do at home getting ready to prep for ‘back to school’ but...
“We were meant to stay longer, we have more memories to make, time with my babies is priceless, I actually feel very grateful, we’re not home, but we have everything we need.”
Elsewhere, former Love Island star Montana Brown revealed her flight from London Heathrow had been cancelled amid the “technical failure” after hours of waiting.
The 27-year-old, who welcomed her son Jude in July with fiancé Mark O’Connor, took to Instagram to update her followers on their travel plans and revealed that they were taken to collect their suitcases after their flight update.
Posting a snap of baby Jude in the car, she wrote: “We’re going on a summer holiday supposedly... but flight is seriously delayed because of air traffic control. Do not do this to me universe, also how cute is Jude?”
Four hours on, she then posted an update, writing: “Ok maybe we’re not going away as our flight has been delayed until 1am...
“Although I just had a guzzle of breast milk to pass the time as I was thirsty and seeing as I can’t have dairy, I’m sure it’s actually v good for me so may continue to drink it lol.”
After two more hours passed, Brown revealed: “OK so flight has been cancelled.
On a plane on the runway at Budapest airport. After almost 3 weeks away from home I am hours from hugging my family. And have just been told UK airspace is shut. We could be here for 12 hours. So we sit on the plane and wait.
— Gabby Logan (@GabbyLogan) August 28, 2023
“Also as we were ushered back into arrivals to grab our suitcases I realised I will never be able to go through passport control through the e-gates until I’m near 40... as kids aren’t allowed.”
Meanwhile Gabby Logan has vented her frustration about being stuck in Budapest on her way back to the UK from covering the Women’s World Cup in Australia.
What was supposed to have been the last leg of Logan’s journey home to her family was thrown for a loop by the chaotic travel disruption.
She shared on X, formerly Twitter: “On a plane on the runway at Budapest airport. After almost 3 weeks away from home I am hours from hugging my family.
“And have just been told UK airspace is shut. We could be here for 12 hours. So we sit on the plane and wait.”
Hours later things looked to have taken a turn for the better as she wrote: “A happy travel story; we are boarded and heading home.
“Credit where it’s due British Airways, you have been so fantastic with your communication and updates and our crew have been brilliant on this flight. We are very lucky to be flying home tonight.”
Although her joy didn’t last long as she posted “I spoke too soon” accompanied by the facepalm emoji not long after.
