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Gatwick airport: Ryanair to switch all Friday's flights to Stansted – live Gatwick airport: Drone activity reported 'within the last hour' – live
(35 minutes later)
Chris Woodroofe, Gatwick’s chief operating officer, added that contingency plans were being considered including to cancel flights tomorrow.
He said:
“I think what’s clear from the last 24 hours is that drones are a UK aviation issue, or even an international aviation issue.
“We have had the police, we have had the military seeking to bring this drone down for the last 24 hours and to date that has not been successful.
“So Gatwick Airport is still closed, it’s closed for the rest of this evening and our intention is to review on an ongoing basis whether we can open tomorrow.
“But we are working up contingency plans all the way through to no flights tomorrow.”
Gatwick will remain closed for the rest of the night after drone activity was reported “within the last hour”, its chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said.
“We will review overnight whether there is any potential to open tomorrow,” he added.
“The last 24 hours have been very difficult for the airport. 120,00 passengers were due to fly out between 9pm last night when we closed the airport and today and those passengers have not flown anywhere because we have drone activity. Within the last hour we have had drone activity.
“But let’s be clear, my apologies to all those passengers who have seen this disruption from the criminal activity of these people who are purposely disrupting our airport and their travel so close to Christmas.”
The number of cancelled flights today now stands at 657 out of 760 that were scheduled.The number of cancelled flights today now stands at 657 out of 760 that were scheduled.
Further disruption is expected tomorrow sadly with Gatwick advising passengers not to come to the airport.Further disruption is expected tomorrow sadly with Gatwick advising passengers not to come to the airport.
Police are continuing their investigation to try and find the operator of the drones that have brought Gatwick to a standstill for around 24 hours.Police are continuing their investigation to try and find the operator of the drones that have brought Gatwick to a standstill for around 24 hours.
#GatwickDrones | Earlier we appealed for information. We thank everyone for their help but we ask that information shared with us is focused on the identity or location of the #drone operator. We are employing all available options to deal with the drone.#GatwickDrones | Earlier we appealed for information. We thank everyone for their help but we ask that information shared with us is focused on the identity or location of the #drone operator. We are employing all available options to deal with the drone.
Extra staff will be at Gatwick during the night on patrol to assist vulnerable passengers including those with young children and the elderly.Extra staff will be at Gatwick during the night on patrol to assist vulnerable passengers including those with young children and the elderly.
The airport said that water is being handed out throughout the terminals while food and drinks outlets are being stocked up with fresh supplies.The airport said that water is being handed out throughout the terminals while food and drinks outlets are being stocked up with fresh supplies.
The heating will remain turned on throughout the night.The heating will remain turned on throughout the night.
They added that train ticket restrictions have been lifted and passengers with tickets for Thursday can use them tomorrow.They added that train ticket restrictions have been lifted and passengers with tickets for Thursday can use them tomorrow.
Carl and Lisa McCluskey and their two young daughters, from Lincolnshire, are among the stranded passengers preparing to spend the night in the terminal after hotels in the area became fully booked.Carl and Lisa McCluskey and their two young daughters, from Lincolnshire, are among the stranded passengers preparing to spend the night in the terminal after hotels in the area became fully booked.
The couple found out from an air stewardess that their flight to Egypt was delayed until further notice.The couple found out from an air stewardess that their flight to Egypt was delayed until further notice.
Mr McCluskey, 44, said: “It’s mindless idiots probably, they know what they’re doing to hundreds of thousands of people.Mr McCluskey, 44, said: “It’s mindless idiots probably, they know what they’re doing to hundreds of thousands of people.
“They would have seen the disruption to come out again this afternoon.”“They would have seen the disruption to come out again this afternoon.”
The family said their two-week trip cost about £6,500.The family said their two-week trip cost about £6,500.
Travel update: Ryanair flights scheduled to operate to/from London Gatwick tomorrow (21 Dec) will instead operate to/from London Stansted. All affected customers have been notified by our Customer Care team https://t.co/96cDH8V0oJTravel update: Ryanair flights scheduled to operate to/from London Gatwick tomorrow (21 Dec) will instead operate to/from London Stansted. All affected customers have been notified by our Customer Care team https://t.co/96cDH8V0oJ
Gatwick has advised passengers not to come to the airport for the foreseeable future including tomorrow, Sky News is reporting.Gatwick has advised passengers not to come to the airport for the foreseeable future including tomorrow, Sky News is reporting.
Eurocontrol’s latest update has extended the earliest time at which the airport’s runway will open to 6am tomorrow.Eurocontrol’s latest update has extended the earliest time at which the airport’s runway will open to 6am tomorrow.
The drone keeps reappearing before the runway can reopen, according to Sky News.The drone keeps reappearing before the runway can reopen, according to Sky News.
It is coming up to 23 hours since the disruption began and the perpetrator(s) remain at large.It is coming up to 23 hours since the disruption began and the perpetrator(s) remain at large.
UPDATE: Drone was seen at 16:00 over #Gatwick, continues to re-appear each time airport tries to reopen runway, currently 633 of 760 flights today have been cancelled, 102,000 passengers affectedUPDATE: Drone was seen at 16:00 over #Gatwick, continues to re-appear each time airport tries to reopen runway, currently 633 of 760 flights today have been cancelled, 102,000 passengers affected
Here is the latest statement from the airport:Here is the latest statement from the airport:
“Gatwick Airport’s runway remains unavailable because of continued drone sightings and some airlines have cancelled all flights.“Gatwick Airport’s runway remains unavailable because of continued drone sightings and some airlines have cancelled all flights.
“There is significant disruption at Gatwick today as a result of what appears to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt flights, and we anticipate disruption to continue into tomorrow.“There is significant disruption at Gatwick today as a result of what appears to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt flights, and we anticipate disruption to continue into tomorrow.
“We are extremely disappointed that passengers are being affected by this especially at such an important time of year. We are working with our airlines to put plans in place to recover our operations once given the go ahead to re-open our runway.“We are extremely disappointed that passengers are being affected by this especially at such an important time of year. We are working with our airlines to put plans in place to recover our operations once given the go ahead to re-open our runway.
“We are prioritising the welfare of those at the airport by deploying staff into our terminals to look after people as best we can.“We are prioritising the welfare of those at the airport by deploying staff into our terminals to look after people as best we can.
“Once again, we apologise to our passengers for the continued disruption. Safety is our absolute priority.”“Once again, we apologise to our passengers for the continued disruption. Safety is our absolute priority.”
📢 Have you been affected by the #drones at Gatwick today ✈️? If your travel plans have been changed, we’ve made the following arrangements to help get you on the move without any further hassle.ℹ️Latest info here👉 https://t.co/wvJZWLoSGt pic.twitter.com/A7XSUYJJ53📢 Have you been affected by the #drones at Gatwick today ✈️? If your travel plans have been changed, we’ve made the following arrangements to help get you on the move without any further hassle.ℹ️Latest info here👉 https://t.co/wvJZWLoSGt pic.twitter.com/A7XSUYJJ53
At Athens International Airport, EasyJet passengers are furious that they were not informed earlier of flight cancellations in contrast to those flying domestically in the UK.At Athens International Airport, EasyJet passengers are furious that they were not informed earlier of flight cancellations in contrast to those flying domestically in the UK.
Passengers on the 1:10 PM flight to Gatwick learned more than seven hours after check-ins closed that the flight had been indefinitely suspended after being told initially it had only been delayed by an hour.Passengers on the 1:10 PM flight to Gatwick learned more than seven hours after check-ins closed that the flight had been indefinitely suspended after being told initially it had only been delayed by an hour.
One traveller said:One traveller said:
By the time my daughter woke up she had been informed her flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick today had been cancelled while here we were told to get to the airport and endure the wait.”By the time my daughter woke up she had been informed her flight from Edinburgh to Gatwick today had been cancelled while here we were told to get to the airport and endure the wait.”
Passengers were offered a 4.60 euro refreshment coupon as they endured what airport operators were calling “an open delay.”Passengers were offered a 4.60 euro refreshment coupon as they endured what airport operators were calling “an open delay.”
An EasyJet manager has predicted that Gatwick was likely to be in chaos for several days given the backlog of flights throughout Europe.An EasyJet manager has predicted that Gatwick was likely to be in chaos for several days given the backlog of flights throughout Europe.
What we have seen has made us ask what if the same thing happened in Athens,” he said expressing fears of a coordinated drone disruption across Europe.What we have seen has made us ask what if the same thing happened in Athens,” he said expressing fears of a coordinated drone disruption across Europe.