AI131 Mumbai-London diverted to Zurich with 290+ aboard as a NATS fault cancelled 1,000+ UK flights; Heathrow arrivals were suspended and knock-on delays continue.
Cover image: Air India Boeing 777-300ER on approach — photo by BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Air India flight AI131 from Mumbai to London was diverted to Zurich on Tuesday after a technical fault at Britain's air traffic control provider NATS forced Heathrow to suspend arrivals, leaving more than 290 passengers stranded in Switzerland when the service was later terminated. The diversion made Air India one of the most visible casualties of a system failure that cancelled more than 1,000 UK flights on Tuesday, with a further 177 scrapped on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data.
Passengers initially stayed on board in Zurich while the crew waited for Heathrow to recover. When it became clear the disruption would not clear in time, the airline cancelled the onward leg and asked everyone to disembark in Zurich. Air India has warned that displaced aircraft and crew could delay other UK services in the coming days and has asked passengers to check flight status before leaving for the airport.
What happened to Air India flight AI131?
AI131, the airline's scheduled Mumbai to London service, was already airborne when NATS reported its system fault on Tuesday. With Heathrow arrivals suspended for the rest of the day, the crew diverted to Zurich Airport, a standard alternate for London-bound long-haul traffic. The aircraft, carrying over 290 people, landed safely in Zurich.
What followed will be familiar to anyone caught in a major ATC failure. Travellers waited in their seats expecting a short delay and a hop across to London. Instead, as Heathrow's arrival ban held, Air India terminated the flight in Zurich and moved all passengers into the terminal. The airline said it had been forced to divert, delay or cancel multiple flights and cautioned that knock-on delays could spread to other services as aircraft and crew sat out of position.
How bad is the UK air traffic disruption?
Very bad, and still unwinding. FlightRadar24 counted more than 1,000 cancellations at UK airports on Tuesday after the NATS failure, with nearly 1,300 flights to and from British airports affected overall. By Wednesday morning, another 177 London flights had been cancelled as airlines tried to rebuild their schedules.
The pain is spread across carriers. British Airways scrapped or rerouted more than 100 services, affecting tens of thousands of passengers. Ryanair reported over 65,000 customers hit and more than 50 services cancelled. Airports beyond London felt it too: Gatwick, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Edinburgh all reported disruption, and Dublin saw cancellations as the knock-on effects crossed the Irish Sea.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK flights cancelled Tuesday | More than 1,000 | FlightRadar24 via News18 |
| London flights cancelled Wednesday | 177 and counting | FlightRadar24 via News18 |
| British Airways services scrapped or rerouted | 100+ | News18, 9 Sept 2026 |
| Ryanair customers affected | 65,000+; 50+ services cut | Ryanair via News18 |
| AI131 passengers diverted to Zurich | 290+ | Times Now, 9 Sept 2026 |
Is the NATS system fault fixed?
Yes, technically. NATS says the system issue is resolved and it is operating normally, adding that recovery took longer than hoped. But anyone who has lived through an air traffic control outage knows the failure ending and the schedule recovering are two different events. Heathrow restarted departures on Tuesday evening while keeping arrivals suspended, which meant inbound long-haul aircraft like AI131 had nowhere to go.
The practical effect is a backlog that clears over 24 to 48 hours: crews timed out of legal duty hours, aircraft parked at the wrong airports, and passengers from cancelled flights competing for the same spare seats. Air India explicitly flagged this, warning travellers that some of its other services may run late as the network rebalances. This is a developing follow-up to yesterday's account of the NATS meltdown and the first wave of cancellations.
What should India-UK passengers do now?
First, do not go to the airport without checking. Air India's advisory asks all UK-bound travellers to verify flight status before travelling, since schedules are still shifting. If your flight was cancelled, EU261-style UK passenger protections apply to departures from UK airports, and our guide to flight delay compensation and passenger rights explains what airlines owe you for cancellations, rerouting and care.
Second, keep every receipt. Meals, hotels and transport bought during the disruption are reclaimable in many cases, and screenshots of the airline's notices help if you claim later. Third, if you are connecting beyond London, call the airline rather than queuing at a transfer desk; phone and app rebooking channels were clearing faster than airport counters during Tuesday's chaos. Indian carriers have had a turbulent fortnight operationally, from Delhi rain advisories to this ATC outage, so building buffer time into UK connections this week is wise.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Air India flight AI131 diverted to Zurich?
Heathrow suspended arrivals for the rest of Tuesday after the NATS system fault, so the Mumbai to London service diverted to Zurich, landed safely with over 290 people aboard, and was later terminated there when Heathrow did not recover in time.
How many flights were cancelled in the UK ATC disruption?
FlightRadar24 tracked more than 1,000 cancellations at UK airports on Tuesday and 177 London cancellations on Wednesday morning, with nearly 1,300 flights to and from British airports affected in total.
Is it safe to fly to London this week?
Yes. NATS says the fault is fixed and operations are normal. The remaining risk is scheduling, not safety: expect delays and possible last-minute changes on India-UK routes for a day or two while airlines reposition aircraft and crew.
What compensation can AI131 passengers claim?
Passengers are entitled to care (meals, hotels, transfers) during long delays, plus rerouting or refunds for cancelled legs. Claims go to the airline first; keep boarding passes and receipts, and check our compensation guide linked above for the full process.
