Storm Isha Brings Chaos to UK Skies and Transport
Storm Isha blasted the UK and Ireland with ferocious winds, creating havoc across the nation’s transport network. Chris Strong, Head of Network Operations at NATS, revealed the huge challenges faced during this rare weather event.
Ferocious Winds Batter South and North
The south of England and Ireland copped wind gusts of 70-75mph, with strong south-westerly crosswinds rocking major airports like Heathrow. This brought tough conditions for pilots, including tricky wind shear and turbulence.
Up north, conditions were even worse. Winds topped 90mph, wreaking havoc far beyond aviation — hitting all transport systems hard.
Air Travel in Turmoil: Go-Arounds and Diversions Skyrocket
Storm Isha forced air traffic controllers to increase spacing between planes to keep landings safe, slashing the number of arrivals. This led to more than 100 “go-arounds” where pilots aborted landings due to bad weather.
Planes unable to land had to divert — but Storm Isha’s widespread impact meant usual diversion airports were often full. NATS warned airlines to be ready to send flights even further afield, creating a logjam as UK airfields filled up.
NATS and Airlines Scramble to Stay Ahead
Coordination was key. NATS held constant video briefings with over 100 industry experts, backed by live updates from The Met Office on the storm’s deadly progress. Airlines reshuffled schedules, cancelled flights, and fuelled aircraft extra to tackle diversions.
As winds died down, normal operations resumed, but the fallout continued with stranded passengers and planes out of position.
Airlines Admit Widespread Disruption
Gatwick Airport alone reported 22 flight diversions, with others across the UK also affected. Despite the chaos, the combined efforts of NATS, airlines, and airports kept safety paramount and smoothed the recovery as best as possible.
