Airlines scramble after UK air traffic control system failure cancels 2,000 flights

Airlines scrambled Wednesday to dig out of the backlog triggered by technical problems experienced by the United Kingdom’s air traffic control system that has forced the cancellation of more than 2,000 flights. Delays continued for a second day Wednesday, rippling across 15 U.K. airports and beyond as airlines and airports worked to clear a huge backlog of canceled and delayed flights. The problems stranded passengers for hours on airport runways and in terminals. Flight delays were expected to continue through the day Wednesday as airlines rebook stranded passengers and work to reposition aircraft left at the wrong airports by the cancellations. NATS, formerly known as National Air Traffic Services, which operates the U.K. air traffic control system, attributed the problems to “an issue in our flight processing system.” The company said that it was supporting airlines and airports while they recover from the “ongoing disruption,” although the original technical issue was resolved Tuesday afternoon. But airlines were furious, demanding that the head of NATS, Martin Rolfe, consider resigning after the second air traffic meltdown in three years. U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexan…