- Flight Disruptions
- 12 flights canceled at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester as British Airways, United, and JetBlue cut services
12 flights canceled at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester as British Airways, United, and JetBlue cut services
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Checked by Matteo Floris
Last updated on 29 May 2026
12
Affected flights
3
Affected airports
9
Affected airlines
Disruption overview
In the 24 hours leading up to 29 May 2026, 12 flights were canceled across London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, and Manchester Airport, cutting domestic, European, trans-Atlantic, and long-haul links from the United Kingdom's busiest hubs. Airlines affected included British Airways, United Airlines, JetBlue, Helvetic Airways, easyJet, Norwegian, Emerald Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines, and Kuwait Airways.
Passengers on services to New York-JFK, Chicago O'Hare, Delhi, Kuwait City, Stockholm-Arlanda, and Zurich were among those left scrambling for alternatives, with long-haul replacement seats especially hard to find. The cause still hasn't been confirmed, so compensation remains uncertain, but rerouting, refunds, and essential care may still matter if your journey was interrupted.
Passengers affected by this flight disruption may be eligible for compensation of up to €600 under passenger rights regulations. Eligibility depends on the circumstances of the disruption.
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Disruption details
In the 24 hours leading up to 29 May 2026, 12 scheduled departures were canceled across London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, and Manchester Airport, disrupting domestic, European, trans-Atlantic, and long-haul travel from the United Kingdom's three busiest airports.
For passengers, this meant sudden plan changes and a difficult search for alternatives. The cancellations were spread across several airlines rather than one carrier, which made the disruption feel wider and more unpredictable from airport to airport.
The affected departures included:
At Heathrow, British Airways canceled flights to Milan-Linate, Milan-Malpensa, and Luxembourg, while JetBlue dropped its New York-JFK service and United Airlines canceled a Chicago O'Hare departure.
At Gatwick, Helvetic Airways canceled its Zurich service.
At Manchester, cancellations hit easyJet's Zurich flight, Norwegian's Stavanger service, Emerald Airlines' Belfast City hop, Scandinavian Airlines' Stockholm-Arlanda service, Kuwait Airways' Kuwait City route, and Norwegian Global Branding flight NBT34 to Delhi.
The spread of routes shows how broad the disruption was. Business links such as Gatwick-Zurich and Heathrow's European network were affected alongside long-haul services to New York-JFK, Chicago O'Hare, Kuwait City, and Delhi. When cancellations hit this mix of short-haul and long-haul departures at the same time, rebooking can quickly become more difficult.
Passengers on the canceled long-haul flights were likely hit especially hard. Replacement seats on Heathrow-USA routes and Manchester services to Asia and the Middle East can be harder to find at short notice, and the disruption has already led to missed onward connections and unexpected hotel costs for many travelers.
What's making the situation more frustrating is that there still isn't a confirmed cause. No single trigger, such as weather, strike action, or an IT failure, has been identified, and the disruption is still being treated as ongoing.
That points to a wider operational strain rather than one localized problem. Thin crew and aircraft reserves across multiple carriers appear to be part of the issue, highlighting how tightly balanced UK hub operations are as the summer travel season approaches.
So far, the airlines and airports haven't published anything beyond standard customer-service advisories. There also isn't a clear timeframe for when operations will settle back down, so if you're flying through Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester, it's sensible to keep checking your flight status closely.
If your flight was one of the canceled departures, it's still worth checking your rights. Because the cause hasn't been confirmed, whether compensation applies will depend on what triggered the cancellation and whether it was within the airline's control.
Even when compensation is uncertain, airlines should still help with rerouting or a refund, and they should provide food, accommodation, and other essential care if you're left waiting. If you want to understand what may apply to your journey, you can use AirHelp's free flight checker.
Know your rights
These are your air passenger rights
When your flight's disrupted, you have rights. Most passenger protection laws cover the following:
Compensation
Good passenger rights ensure passengers get fairly compensated for delays and cancellations. Try our compensation check and find out how much money we can get you.
Rerouting or refund
If your flight is canceled, your airline must provide an alternative. Some laws say you can choose a full refund instead.
Food and essential care
Providing food and drinks is a basic right under many regulations. Typically after a delay of a few hours.
Accommodation
Some passenger rights say the airline must provide accommodation when your journey is delayed overnight.
This advice is provided to help you if your flight is delayed or canceled. However, the exact care and compensation you are entitled to will depend on your specific circumstances and flight. Always follow the directions of your airline, particularly with regard to check-in and boarding times.
Quick facts
Summary
Disruption
Cancellations
Cause
Other
Status
Current disruption
Compensation
May qualify for compensation
Flights affected
12
Airlines affected
British Airways, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corporation, SAS Scandinavian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Easyjet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Aer Lingus, Helvetic Airways
Airports affected
London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport, Manchester International Airport
Cities affected
London, Manchester
Countries affected
United Kingdom
Checked by
Matteo Floris
Date updated
29 May 2026
What to do if your flight is delayed, canceled, or overbooked
If you're traveling to, from, or within the European Union, here's what you should do when you experience a disruption.
Gather evidence that your flight was delayed, canceled, or overbooked.
Get the airline to provide written confirmation of the disruption and the reason behind it.
Request an alternative flight to your destination — or a refund if you no longer wish to travel.
Make a note of the arrival time at your final destination.
Ask the airline to provide vouchers for meals and refreshments.
Avoid signing documents or accepting offers that may waive your passenger rights.
If an overnight stay is required, ask the airline to provide accommodation.
Save receipts for any additional expenses caused by the disruption.
