CAA Review of UK Air Traffic Management Resilience, System Renewal and Future Capability – Call for Input

Overview

Following the air traffic services disruption of 8 September 2026, the Secretary of State for Transport commissioned an independent review, led by the Civil Aviation Authority, in accordance with CAP3315.

The Review is examining:

• The causes and contributory factors associated with the disruption of 8 September 2026.
• The operational and passenger impacts of the disruption of 8 September 2026 on the wider aviation system.
• The resilience of current air traffic management systems, supporting infrastructure and operational processes.
• NERL's approach to system renewal, investment, replacement and modernisation.
• The effectiveness of preparedness, response and recovery arrangements across NERL and the wider aviation system.
• The effectiveness of governance, assurance and regulatory oversight arrangements supporting NERL's Resilience, Business Continuity and Contingency capabilities.
• Lessons identified from the disruption of 8 September 2026 and from previous incidents and reviews.
• Actions that may strengthen the resilience of NERL and the wider aviation system in the future.

The Review Team will produce an Initial Findings Report in January 2027 and a Final Report in March 2027.

Why your views matter

Purpose of this Call for Input

This Call for Input seeks views, experiences and evidence to inform the Review's assessment of the disruption of 8 September 2026 and matters within its Terms of Reference.

The Call for Input is directed at airlines, airports and their representative bodies. These organisations were directly affected by the disruption of 8 September 2026 and played a central role in responding to and recovering from its consequences.

The Review Team is supplementing this evidence gathering through direct engagement with Air Navigation Service Providers, Flight Data Processing system providers and other relevant stakeholders. The Review also recognises the importance of understanding consumer impacts and will gather relevant consumer evidence through targeted engagement and other evidence gathering activities where relevant to the Review's Terms of Reference.

The Review Team will consider information relevant to the Review's Terms of Reference. Information relating to matters outside the scope of the Review may not be considered when developing findings and recommendations.

How to Respond

Contributors do not need to answer every question and are encouraged to provide information on those areas where they have direct experience, expertise or evidence.

Respondents are encouraged to provide evidence, examples, operational data and lessons identified wherever possible. The Review is interested both in the immediate impacts of the disruption of 8 September 2026 and in wider observations concerning preparedness, response and recovery arrangements, as well as NERL's Resilience, Business Continuity and Contingency capabilities.

Responses should focus on matters relevant to the Review's Terms of Reference. While respondents may provide any information they consider relevant to the disruption of 8 September 2026, the Review Team can only take account of information that falls within the scope of the Review when developing its findings, conclusions and recommendations.

Respondents are encouraged to provide concise, evidence based submissions supported by examples, operational data and practical recommendations where possible. The quality and relevance of the information provided will be more important than the length of the submission.

The Review Team recognises that not all relevant issues can be anticipated through a predefined set of questions. Respondents are therefore invited to provide any additional information, evidence or observations that they consider relevant to the Review and its Terms of Reference.

Where supporting documents are provided, respondents should clearly identify the sections of their submission to which those documents relate.

Confidentiality and Disclosure

We will treat the information you provide as non-confidential unless you inform us otherwise. Any part of your response to this consultation or supporting material that is regarded as confidential should be clearly marked as such, with an explanation of why the information is confidential, and included in a separate annex. The CAA has powers and duties with respect to the disclosure of information, including under the Transport Act 2000 and Freedom of Information Act 2000 and it may be necessary to disclose information consistent with these requirements.

Respondents are encourgaged to review CAP3323: CAA Review of UK Air Traffic Management Resilience, System Renewal and Future Capability – Call for Input