London Airspace Closed After Computer Glitch; Flights Grounded

The airspace over London has been closed due to a computer failure on Friday, preventing flights from taking off at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The closure, which is expected to last until 7 p.m. local time, is due to a computer failure at the Swanwick air-traffic control center, air-traffic control body NATS said in a statement posted online. "Flights are currently experiencing delays and we will update passengers as soon as we have more information," a spokesman for Heathrow Airport said. Gatwick Airport said that while there is "an impact" on departing flights, the closure is not affecting arrivals. The other three major London airports -- Luton, Stansted and City Airport -- are also likely to see disruption, with the possibility of flight delays spreading to Europe and the rest of the U.K., media reports said.