Nats CEO Says He Was Most Disliked Person in UK After Air Traffic Control Failures

Martin Rolfe, the chief executive of Nats, has publicly acknowledged his status as the most disliked person in the UK during September following significant disruptions to air traffic. The organization, which manages the nation’s flight control systems, faced intense scrutiny after two technical failures occurred within a single fortnight, grounding flights and impacting hundreds of thousands of passengers. Rolfe addressed the situation during the Airlines 2026 conference held in London, where he candidly reflected on the backlash he faced from the industry.

Air traffic control challenges

Following the technical glitches, which included a major outage on 8 September and a subsequent failure at the Prestwick control centre in Scotland on 21 September, several airlines demanded that Rolfe resign. Among the most vocal critics was Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who has frequently called for Rolfe’s departure. Despite these repeated demands, Rolfe maintained that he had not considered stepping down. He noted that he actually found some satisfaction in ignoring the calls from O’Leary, describing the Ryanair executive’s demands as a common occurrence that he does not take to heart.

Nats CEO faces intense industry criticism following two major air traffic control system outages in September.

During the September 8 incident, which is currently the subject of a government-commissioned inquiry, Nats had expected to manage approximately 8,000 flights. While 6,000 flights were completed, the failure caused substantial delays and cost airlines tens of millions of pounds. A second incident on 21 September at the Prestwick centre resulted in more than 200 cancellations. Rolfe stated that while the specific causes of these events were unprecedented and have since been resolved, he could not provide an absolute guarantee that technical faults would never occur again in such complex systems.

Reflecting on his personal accountability, Rolfe admitted that he expected to face criticism for the disruption caused to holidaymakers and travelers. He emphasized that accepting responsibility is a core part of his role, even if it makes him unpopular. The Civil Aviation Authority is currently reviewing the findings from Nats’s internal report, with a final report expected to be delivered to transport secretary Heidi Alexander early in 2027.

Why it matters

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander expressed her own frustration regarding the failures, labeling the situation unacceptable. She confirmed that while the government will await the findings of the Civil Aviation Authority, she is committed to ensuring that lessons are learned to prevent future instability. For the aviation industry and travelers, these events highlight the fragility of critical infrastructure and the ongoing debate over the accountability of those managing national air travel networks.