If there’s one thing flying has taught me, it’s that a single flicker on a radar screen can ground European flights faster than a toddler refusing to board without snacks. Technical glitches, while rare, have become increasingly frequent guests in our airspace. From IT systems acting like they’re on a coffee break to radar systems throwing a tantrum, the skies of Europe have seen it all since 2021. And every time, passengers are left asking the same questions: What happened? Can I get compensated? And who do I glare at at the terminal?
Let’s go through some of the most memorable technical hiccups of the past few years, how they played out, and whether passengers were entitled to anything more than a stale airport sandwich.
The Most Memorable Cases
British Airways IT Meltdown, February 2022. In early 2022, British Airways faced what could be politely described as an IT nervous breakdown. Over a weekend, BA’s entire short-haul operation from Heathrow came to a screeching halt due to a hardware failure. The airline’s app, website, and check-in systems took the day off. Flights were cancelled en masse, bags were stranded, and passengers were left refreshing their phones like it was a competitive sport. Since this was a technical issue internal to BA, passengers were eligible for EU261 compensation. So, at least those delays paid off in euros, if not in time saved.
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Swiss Airspace Blackout, June 2022, Switzerland, neutral in war, but not in air traffic chaos. Skyguide, the Swiss air traffic control authority, suffered a system malfunction that effectively closed all Swiss airspace for hours. Despite the grumblings of thousands of grounded passengers, Zurich and Geneva were silent between grunts. Flights were cancelled, rerouted, or turned into unexpected sightseeing detours. This was a classic case of “extraordinary circumstances,” meaning no EU261 compensation, but airlines still had to provide care, food, hotels, and maybe a Swiss chocolate or two for the trouble.
Lufthansa’s Cable Catastrophe, February 2023 Germany’s national carrier, Lufthansa, had a particularly German problem: a construction crew accidentally sliced through a key fibre-optic cable near Frankfurt. As a result, a global IT outage happened. Check-ins stalled, boarding slowed to a crawl, and Frankfurt resembled a tech-themed escape room. More than 100 flights were cancelled. Because the cause was external, a construction mishap, airlines were not obliged to pay compensation under EU261, but they did need to provide assistance and reroute affected passengers. It was a reminder that sometimes it’s not a virus or a cyberattack, just a guy with a shovel.
UK Air Traffic Control Crash, August 2023. On a busy bank holiday, the UK’s National Air Traffic Services (NATS) experienced a data-processing error that knocked out automated systems. Controllers had to revert to manual processes, drastically cutting flight capacity. I find myself asking, how transparent are airlines really are when a technical issue is reported? Over 2,000 flights were delayed or cancelled, and if you were one of the hundreds of thousands of people trying to get out of Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester, you weren’t going anywhere fast. EU261 compensation was off the table, but passengers were still entitled to care, meal vouchers, accommodation, and maybe a shoulder to cry on.
Orly Radar Failure, May 2025 Paris Orly had its moment in the glitchy spotlight when its radar system failed, halting all departures and limiting arrivals. The French Civil Aviation Authority ordered a 40% flight reduction. Around 130 flights were grounded, and the next day saw more cancellations. It was déjà vu for many; radar failures have hit Orly before. Once again, this fell under extraordinary circumstances, which meant compensation was out. But care obligations remained, and the airport rolled out cots and vouchers like party favours.
Milan Radar Blackout, June 2025, and just when we thought the summer of 2025 might pass without drama, Milan-Linate stepped up. A radar data transmission failure stopped all departures and incoming flights into northern Italy’s airspace for two hours. Airports in Milan, Venice, Pisa, and even Rome were affected. Some flights were cancelled, others diverted, and roughly 320 operations were impacted. Passengers were left scattered across regions, with some sleeping in Pisa despite booking for Bergamo. Compensation? Nope, since the airline gets to pull the “extraordinary circumstances” card.
Was Your Flight Disrupted?
Turn your delayed, cancelled or overbooked flight into a compensation up to €600!
So, What Does All This Mean?
These glitches underscore a few key realities. First, Europe’s aviation infrastructure, from ATC to airline IT, isn’t invincible. Second, technical failures caused by third parties or national systems are generally classified as extraordinary circumstances under EU261. That means no compensation, but still a right to care: rebookings, accommodation, food, and refund options.
On the other hand, when the glitch is on the airline’s side, like BA’s internal IT crash, compensation becomes possible, and you can claim it with just a few clicks. It’s a thin line between tech failure and liability, and often regulators or courts make the final call. So, it pays (sometimes literally) to read the fine print, know your rights, and save those receipts.
In the meantime, maybe pack a book, some snacks, and a power bank the next time you fly. Because if the radar goes out or the servers go down, you’ll want to be more prepared than the airline’s IT department. And if your phone battery is still sufficient, fill out a claim with us.
