BA cancels flights due to computer problems

London: British Airways cancelled more than a dozen flights on Friday following an air traffic control computer glitch a day earlier, the airline said.

British Airways flights within Britain and Europe headed to or leaving from Heathrow Airport were affected. Other airports were back to normal.

The computer problem happened Thursday afternoon at a control centre outside London run by air traffic control company Nats. The problem resulted in a restriction of the number of planes entering British airspace.

Nats has had computer problems on several occasions since opening its control centre in 2002.

"We take every step to avoid any problems but are always aware that in maintaining and updating highly complex systems we can experience difficulties," Nats' operational performance director Ian Hall said.