Budget airline Ryanair has demanded the immediate resignation of the head of the UK's air traffic control service following severe disruption at Birmingham Airport that left thousands of passengers stranded.
Storm Causes Power Outage and Travel Chaos
The travel chaos unfolded on Sunday, January 11, 2026, when a power outage, triggered by Storm Goretti, hit a critical radar facility operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS). This forced the suspension of all arrivals into Birmingham Airport (BHX), creating a cascade of problems for airlines and travellers.
More than 20 inbound flights were severely impacted, with many facing cancellations, diversions, or massive delays of up to four hours. Aircraft were forced to divert to alternative airports including Stansted, East Midlands, and Liverpool John Lennon.
Ryanair's Furious Response and Resignation Call
Ryanair, which saw more than 2,000 of its passengers affected, has launched a blistering attack on NATS management. The airline has publicly called for NATS CEO Martin Rolfe to step down, citing a "clear pattern of repeated NATS mismanagement."
A Ryanair spokesperson stated: "It's unacceptable that 2,000 Ryanair passengers were made to suffer delays of up to four hours - as well as several diversions - on Sunday due to yet another NATS ATC system failure." They accused the service of incompetence, adding: "Rolfe is clearly out of his depth and should resign immediately to allow someone else to fix NATS’ failing systems."
Apologies Issued Amidst Ongoing Tensions
When approached for comment on Ryanair's demand, NATS did not directly address the call for its CEO's resignation. Instead, a spokesperson explained that engineers had worked with the National Grid to restore power as swiftly as possible.
"We restored our radar serving Birmingham Airport following a power outage caused by bad weather and it is operating normally," the NATS spokesperson said. "We apologise to passengers who were affected by this issue."
Birmingham Airport also issued an apology on the Monday following the incident, stating: "The safety of our colleagues and customers is our number one priority." They expressed regret for any inconvenience caused by the extreme weather. This event marks another flashpoint in the often tense relationship between airlines and the UK's air traffic control provider.
