✈️ Business Aviation Traffic Falls to Zero on Norwich Strike Day
Prospect union air traffic control staff held a 24-hour strike on August 28, 2026, closing Norwich Airport (EGSH) to all air traffic that day, with no aircraft arriving or departing. TUI moved its scheduled flights from Norwich to Corfu, Dalaman, and Palma to depart from London Southend instead, transporting passengers from Norwich by coach. During an earlier round of industrial action after August 21, three other flights were diverted to London Stansted, approximately 70 miles away, with passenger delays of up to six hours. Avi-Go data show that, as of 4:49 p.m. on August 31, 2026, EGSH recorded zero business aircraft departures and zero arrivals on August 28. By comparison, over the five weekdays from August 17 through August 21, the airport recorded a total of five departures and five arrivals, averaging 2.0 combined movements per day. Counting each departure or arrival as one movement at the airport level, the strike day was down by 2.0 movements from the weekday baseline, with both departures and arrivals declining by 100%, indicating that the closure directly affected all business aviation operations that day.
Impact: For business aviation operators and clients using Norwich, the 24-hour full closure meant that scheduled trips had to be moved to another airport or date. The earlier diversion of three flights to Stansted, with delays of up to six hours, also demonstrates that ground transfer distance and time are important components of diversion planning.
Recommendation: Operators using EGSH can incorporate Southend and Stansted, approximately 70 miles away, into flight planning, ground transportation, and passenger transfer arrangements, respectively, while continuing to monitor dates of any further Prospect industrial action. When scheduling Norwich missions, operators should inform clients of alternative airports and transfer times during the itinerary confirmation process.