Confusion at 20,000 feet: Typeface to blame

A small typeface is being blamed for some of the errors which have been plaguing the air traffic control centre in Swanwick.

Controllers managed to send one aircraft to Glasgow instead of Cardiff and another to the wrong height - and all because of the display in front of them.

The controversial font reportedly caused controllers to make the errors, but the Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Services and the air traffic controllers union all claim passenger safety has not been compromised.

New displays with larger text are to be tested shortly.

Documents obtained by Computer Weekly revealed the latest high-profile problem for the troubled system. It has already crashed several times since it was introduced earlier this year, six years behind schedule and hundreds of millions of pounds over budget.