London - The aftermath of the air traffic control disruption has left passengers grappling with the possibility of being stranded overseas for up to a week. Emerging reports suggest that a French airline's improperly filed flight plan might have been the catalyst for the extensive outage.

The repercussions of the Nats system malfunction during the bank holiday have led to approximately 300,000 air travelers encountering flight cancellations. The ripple effects are poised to extend over several more days, intensifying the burden on airlines as they navigate the backlog during a week when numerous individuals are returning to the UK from their summer vacations.

Multiple sources suggest that the predicament might have arisen due to a flawed flight plan submitted by a French airline, a move that defied digital logic. Instead of rejecting the error, the system shutdown was triggered, raising concerns about how a single clerical mistake could unleash such chaos.

Late on Tuesday, Nats Chief Executive Martin Rolfe appeared to acknowledge the inputting mistake, stating, "Initial investigations into the problem show it relates to some of the flight data we received."

In response to the incident, Downing Street has initiated an independent review. This disruption led to the cancellation of over a quarter of flights at UK airports on Monday. 

Transport Secretary Mark Harper convened an emergency meeting with airline representatives, terming the event the most significant in a decade, while No. 10 urged airlines to ensure swift repatriation of passengers. EasyJet announced five repatriation flights to Gatwick Airport in three days, as flight data showed around 300 flights canceled on Tuesday, affecting about 50,000 travelers at major UK airports. Additionally, various flights experienced notable delays, including a British Airways flight delayed by 26 hours.

The UK aviation industry is estimated to face a financial impact of roughly £80 million due to the disruption. Responding to inquiries, a spokesperson for Rishi Sunak stated that while regular discussions with other countries are expected, no specific talks with French counterparts have been confirmed.