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Gatwick airport disruption: police still trying to catch drones after flights cancelled – live Gatwick airport disruption: police still trying to catch drones after flights cancelled – live
(35 minutes later)
Much of the misery in Gatwick this morning is centred on a near 300 metre-long, slowly moving queue for the Norwegian Airlines information desk - at which a single member of staff is dealing with passengers queries. The European aviation agency Euro Control says Gatwick will remain closed until at least 4pm.
Rebecca Dahl, 20, from Copenhagen, was about three quarters of the way to the front. She had been waiting for three hours. Her flight was now expected to depart at 6am tomorrow morning, but she was desperate to try to rebook to an earlier flight. Euro Control now saying Gatwick won't open until at least 4pm local time -- FOUR HOURS from now pic.twitter.com/f2MiFb8u9a
Gatwick remains closed, the airport said in its latest statement:
Gatwick airport’s runway remains closed and all flights are currently suspended following reports of drones flying over Gatwick’s airfield last night and this morning.
There is significant disruption at Gatwick today as a result of what appears to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt flights.
We are extremely disappointed that passengers are being affected by this, especially at such an important time of year. 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 working hard with our airlines to get information to passengers but would advise anyone booked onto flights from Gatwick, or meeting arriving passengers, not to travel to the airport without checking the status of the flight with their airline or on our website first.
We apologise for the continued inconvenience, but the safety of all passengers and staff is our first priority.”
Video from the University of Dayton in Ohio shows what damage a drone can do to an aircraft wing.
The test was intended to compare a bird strike and a drone strike, using a drone similar in weight to many hobby drones and a wing selected to represent one on a commercial aircraft.
Readers have been in touch to tell us how they’ve been affected by the disruption at Gatwick.
Kevin, 34, from Price Edward Island, Canada, is stuck in Glasgow after his WestJet flight from Toronto was diverted. He said:
We were circling just off the west coast of the UK for about an hour before we diverted to Glasgow. We didn’t know if we were going to refuel but we’ve just been told we’re disembarking.
There’s no information from the airline about future plans and we’ve been told to line up at some information desks. The implication from staff is that we’d be waiting here until tomorrow and only be getting vouchers. I’ve booked my own flight from Glasgow to Luton as I’m meant to be visiting family in Bedfordshire.
Drone disabling technology has existed for several years now, so there’s no reason a robust runway protection plan hasn’t been rolled out. It’s pure complacency and only now that there’s major disruption and loss of revenue will we likely see changes made.”
A pilot, who asked to remain anonymous, said he had been waiting at Gatwick:
I’m massively disappointed for everyone who has been affected and is trying to get away for Christmas. The situation is being determined purely by the police. They are the only ones who will decide when it is safe to reopen for flights. My company has plenty of crew at this time of year and we all pull together when something like this happens. The latest rumour is that the airport will open again at 4pm.”
Liam Cumber and his wife were due to travel to Amsterdam at 11.40am when their British Airways flight was cancelled.
Cumber, 30, from Folkestone, has been one of the lucky ones after rearranging a later flight departing from Heathrow.
He said: “The cancellation notification came via the app and included information on a proposed alternate with a one-button acceptance. BA have been really productive and we can’t fault them so far as we’ve not been charged, but we don’t fly until 4.50pm now so there might be issues further down the line.
“We’ve lost five hours of our holiday but think that’s astounding considering the circumstances. Friendly and sympathetic staff at Gatwick train station are allowing everyone free travel to London to help them get to alternate airports.
“I personally think drones should be illegal except for licensed hobbyists: such as racers or photographers. No untrained person should have access to flying machinery. I can’t see how Gatwick can do anything anything better really: they cannot fly planes when small mechanical bits of plastic and metal are flying around potentially getting sucked into engines or cracking windows. Passenger safety comes before passenger convenience.”You can continue to share your experiences and news tips by filling in the form here or via WhatsApp by adding the contact +44(0)7867825056.
A decent travel insurance policy should cover the cost of travellers having to abandon their Christmas plans because of the drone situation at Gatwick – including hotel and car hire cancellation at their destination – but as always with insurance the devil is in the detail.
The airline cannot be held liable for payouts under the EU 261 rules as this is a situation beyond their control. What the airline should offer you is either a refund for the flight only, or a promise to put you on the next available flight, or alternative routing.
But as most flights are extremely heavily booked at this time of the year, travellers may find that the next flight available is several days away.
So any claim will then have to be on your travel insurance. If you have checked in and then can’t fly, then you should be able to make a claim under the cancellation and abandonment section of your policy – but check first.
Many will rely on the travel insurance that comes with their bank account. One popular policy is Nationwide’s Flex Plus account, and its terms and conditions say that it will pay up to £5,000 if you decide to abandon the journey and return home, but only if the delay to the flight is for at least six hours on journeys of four nights or less, or 12 hours on journeys of five nights or more.
That said, it’s often a battle to make claims against insurers in these circumstances, and the very cheap policies bought on comparison sites are likely to reject claims. Nearly all policies include an “excess”, usually at least £100. That means the first £100 of the claim will not be paid.
Also, be aware that if today’s drone disruption is declared a terrorist incident – police have said there is no indication this will be the case – then the insurers will not pay out. A standard condition in insurance policies is that “cancellation on the grounds of war or terrorism isn’t covered by your policy.”
In a statement, the Association of British Insurers said: “Where illegal drone activity has grounded or diverted flights, as with all flight cancellations or disruption, you should speak to your airline or travel company first who will have certain responsibilities under the law.
“For additional travel disruption costs, such as missed hotel bookings or already paid for activities that you can no longer make, you should speak to your travel insurer as these may be covered under the terms of your travel insurance depending on the type of cover you have bought.”
We’re getting a higher number of travel insurance calls due to the ongoing disruption at #Gatwick. If you’re affected by the incident, please contact your tour operator or airline first to find out what options are available to you.
Prospect, the largest union representing engineers, has added to calls for tougher regulations against drones.
Garry Graham, its deputy general secretary, said:
The drone disruption at Gatwick comes as little surprise to those in the aviation industry who have been arguing that the lack of effective regulation and enforcement is an accident waiting to happen.
Prospect, alongside other aviation unions, has been arguing at a UK and European level for a tough regulatory framework supported by a robust enforcement regime. Without things like geofencing, drone registration and training, backed up by greater publicity of the laws and adequately resourced enforcement, this kind of event will only become more common.
We pay tribute to the air traffic controllers at Gatwick who have acted speedily to ensure passenger safety. We must make sure that the Civil Aviation Authority has the resources and the legal powers to ensure that passenger safety is not put at risk in this way again.”
Much of the misery in Gatwick this morning is centred on a near 300-metre-long, slowly moving queue for the Norwegian Airlines information desk, at which a single member of staff is dealing with passengers queries.
Rebecca Dahl, 20, from Copenhagen, was about three-quarters of the way to the front. She had been waiting for three hours. Her flight was expected to depart at 6am tomorrow, but she was desperate to try to rebook to an earlier flight.
"I'm hoping there's an earlier flight because I have no place to stay and I don't have any money."Rebecca Dahl, 20, from Copenhagen, has been waiting in the @Fly_Norwegian queue at #gatwick for three hours. pic.twitter.com/igPpfhcMQA"I'm hoping there's an earlier flight because I have no place to stay and I don't have any money."Rebecca Dahl, 20, from Copenhagen, has been waiting in the @Fly_Norwegian queue at #gatwick for three hours. pic.twitter.com/igPpfhcMQA
“I’m hoping to that there’s another one that’s earlier because I have no place to stay and I don’t have any money,” she said. “Maybe they can hook me up with a hotel or something. “I’m hoping that there’s another one that’s earlier because I have no place to stay and I don’t have any money,” she said. “Maybe they can hook me up with a hotel or something.”
Dahl, who is on a gap year from university, said she had been visiting a friend in London. “I missed my flight coming here too, so I’m very unlucky,” she said.Dahl, who is on a gap year from university, said she had been visiting a friend in London. “I missed my flight coming here too, so I’m very unlucky,” she said.
Further back, near the start of the queue was Maria Vega, also 20, who was hoping to fly with Norwegian to Las Vegas, to go home for Christmas. She had been waiting in line for about 70 minutes, she said, but had moved just 30 or 40 ft. Further back, near the start of the queue, was Maria Vega, 20, who was hoping to fly with Norwegian to Las Vegas to go home for Christmas. She had been waiting in line for about 70 minutes, she said, but had moved 30-40 feet.
"Patience is a virtue, that's what my mum tells me. But I think I'm going to crack up by hour five."Maria Vega, 20, a student in London, waiting in a long queue for news of her eight hour delayed @Fly_Norwegian flight to Las Vegas.#gatwick pic.twitter.com/WCBcHnTLo1"Patience is a virtue, that's what my mum tells me. But I think I'm going to crack up by hour five."Maria Vega, 20, a student in London, waiting in a long queue for news of her eight hour delayed @Fly_Norwegian flight to Las Vegas.#gatwick pic.twitter.com/WCBcHnTLo1
Her flight had been delayed for eight hours, but she was still hopeful that she could depart tonight. “Patience is a virtue, that’s what my mum tells me; but I think I’m going to crack by hour five,” she said. “It’s just waiting here then having to go on an 11-hour flight.” Her flight had been delayed for eight hours, but she was still hopeful she could depart tonight. “Patience is a virtue, that’s what my mum tells me; but I think I’m going to crack by hour five,” she said. “It’s just waiting here then having to go on an 11-hour flight.”
Vega, a student at Birkbeck in London, said she thought the queue was only moving because people in front of her were leaving it rather than wait any longer. Vega, a student at Birkbeck in London, said she thought the queue was only moving because people in front of her were leaving it rather than waiting any longer.
But she said she had to stick it out, because she was unable to check in online for her flight. “I just don’t know if I should go home, because then the trains could be delayed,” she said. But she said she had to stick it out because she was unable to check in online for her flight. “I just don’t know if I should go home, because then the trains could be delayed,” she said.
Here’s what we know so far:Here’s what we know so far:
Flights in and out of Gatwick airport remain suspended more than 14 hours after at least one drone was spotted on the runway. Thousands of passengers face disruption that is likely to last until Friday at the earliest. At least 760 flights have been cancelled.Flights in and out of Gatwick airport remain suspended more than 14 hours after at least one drone was spotted on the runway. Thousands of passengers face disruption that is likely to last until Friday at the earliest. At least 760 flights have been cancelled.
Police are appealing for the public’s help in catching the operator of the drone. Some 20 police units are searching the perimeter of the airfield. Police are appealing for the public’s help in catching the operator of the drone. About 20 police units are searching the perimeter of the airfield.
Gatwick said the drone could not be shot down for fear of stray bullets harming members of the public. But police have said they are reviewing options for downing the drone.Gatwick said the drone could not be shot down for fear of stray bullets harming members of the public. But police have said they are reviewing options for downing the drone.
Police said they do not believe the incident is terror related, but they do believe it is a deliberate act to disrupt the airport.Police said they do not believe the incident is terror related, but they do believe it is a deliberate act to disrupt the airport.
Aviation minister Baroness Sugg is due to give an update on the situation in the House of Lords. Labour said the government has been too slow at address safety concerns about drones. Pilots have called for tougher laws against drones. The aviation minister, Liz Sugg, is due to give an update on the situation in the House of Lords. Labour says the government has been too slow to address safety concerns about drones. Pilots have called for tougher laws against drones.
Police continue to search for drones on the runway.Police continue to search for drones on the runway.
A mother said she has suffered an “emotional disaster” after spending the night on a cold floor with her eight-year-old-daughter and three-year-old son, PA reports. A woman says she has suffered an “emotional disaster” after spending the night on a cold floor with her eight-year-old-daughter and three-year-old son, PA reports.
Yulia Hristova, who was meant to fly to Istanbul via Kiev at 3am and has been at the airport since midnight, said:Yulia Hristova, who was meant to fly to Istanbul via Kiev at 3am and has been at the airport since midnight, said:
“With two kids I’m in a difficult position, I’m so tired, I’m so upset, we’ve had no information. With two kids I’m in a difficult position, I’m so tired, I’m so upset, we’ve had no information.
“We were standing for hours, nobody’s been on the desk. It was so cold. We were sleeping on the floor, me and my children. I lost my son during the night, and a policeman brought him back. We were standing for hours, nobody’s been on the desk. It was so cold. We were sleeping on the floor, me and my children. I lost my son during the night, and a policeman brought him back.
“I was meant to be reunited with my family, my kids were so excited they didn’t sleep until 6am, they were waiting to get on the plane. I was meant to be reunited with my family, my kids were so excited they didn’t sleep until 6am, they were waiting to get on the plane.
“It’s been an emotional disaster. I’m so exhausted, I don’t want to stress out but it’s very worrying. What’s going to happen to us in Ukraine? What if we run out of money? Are the airline going to put us in a hotel? It’s been an emotional disaster. I’m so exhausted, I don’t want to stress out but it’s very worrying. What’s going to happen to us in Ukraine? What if we run out of money? Are the airline going to put us in a hotel?
“I want to give up right now, it’s making me so anxious.” I want to give up right now, it’s making me so anxious.”
Labour says the government has been too slow at address safety concerns about drones.
Shadow transport secretary, Andy McDonald said: “Events at Gatwick Airport highlight the urgent need for clear rules on the use of drones near airports. There has been growing concern over the increasing number of near misses between drones and manned aircraft and the government has been too slow to act.
He added: “The government should fast-track the introduction of a regulatory framework to protect against the misuse of drones and ensure the safety of UK airspace. This should include a drone exclusion zone around airports.”
Transport minister, Baroness Sugg, is due to give a statement about the disruption at Gatwick, in an update to the House of Lords at 11.35am.
I have just granted a PNQ from Baroness @jennyranderson to ask @transportgovuk Minister, Baroness Sugg, what the HMG response is to the disruption at @Gatwick_Airport caused by drone activity. Watch from 11.35am here: https://t.co/86Hwdwg8GN #drones #Gatwick
Sussex Police is asking for the public’s help in locating the Gatwick drone operator.
#GatwickDrones | We are appealing for information to help us identify the operators of the #Gatwick #drones. If you know who's responsible or have any information please call 999 and quote ref 1350-19/12. Please RT pic.twitter.com/jkcakBohMr
There is barely enough space for passengers to navigate trolleys piled high with luggage around the check-in desks , as passengers just arriving at the airport are told on information screens that there would be no flights until at least 11am. Arthur Serbejs, 22, and Domante Balciuniate, 21, factory workers from Hastings, sat on the floor by a prayer room, approaching their 16th hour of waiting for a flight to Barcelona.
“We came about 6pm yesterday, and we’re going to be here until like 7pm,” Serbejs said. “At 9pm yesterday we were on the plane for four hours - they turned the lights off and everything like it was going to take off.”
“But we were still sitting there,” Balciunate added. Serbejs said he had fallen asleep while the plane sat on the apron, hoping to wake up in Spain, “and I woke up and we hadn’t moved.”
Eventually they were taken off the flight, and offered a hotel in Brighton, which they declined as they live close by. They were told they would get an email with a ticked for another flat, but none came. “We stood in line for three hours for a 30 second conversation saying ‘your flight has already been transferred hours ago’, but we didn’t know about it,” Serbejs said.
“It’s crazy, it’s my worst airport experience.”
“We don’t even expect to go to Barcelona anymore,” Balciunate said. “Maybe there’s another drone up there - but we have hope. There’s a prayer room over there, we were thinking about going.”
"Maybe there's another drone up there, but we have hope. There's a prayer room over there, we were thinking about going."Domante Balciunate, 21, and Arthur Serbejs, 22, who are at #gatwick in the middle of an expected 25-hour delay to their long weekend in Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/CgqYQlPSdH
PA has also been talking to some of the thousands of passengers disrupted by the incident.
Chris Lister, from Somerset, who owns an online business, was travelling back from Kiev with his wife Freya.
He was due to land at Gatwick at 9.45pm on Wednesday but ended up trapped on the plane on the tarmac at Birmingham Airport until 6am.
“There were quite a few babies and kids on board, I think they were struggling more than we were and one woman had run out milk,” he said. After starting his journey in Bangkok on Tuesday he was finally let off the plane at 6am, he said. Joseph Ouechen, a photographer from Morocco, was due to fly into Gatwick on Wednesday night but had his flight diverted to Paris.
After arriving at Charles de Gaulle Airport at midnight, passengers with visas for the Schengen area were taken to a hotel but those without - “about 20%” - were left in the airport to fend for themselves, he said.
“There were families with babies who couldn’t get to their suitcases for their milk and stuff,” he said. “We were asking just for a favour if (airport staff) could help but they said they couldn’t do anything.” Firefighters eventually crossed the border through passport control with blankets and water at 3.30am, he said.
“To be honest, I’m so tired and when the guys from the fire (service) came with the bottles and blankets I was feeling like a war, like (I was) a refugee, but I’m just flying to the UK.
“It’s surreal. I was flying to the UK and now there are firemen bringing me water and blankets.”
Mamosta Abdulla said he was on an Iraq-bound flight on Wednesday evening before getting stuck on the tarmac for four hours. He will miss his father’s memorial service, he said.
“We got here at 6pm and should have flown at 9.10pm, but we were stuck four hours on the plane with a crying baby, the child was disabled and everyone was sweating because it was so hot in there,” he said. Passengers were given a 12 voucher for food, he added, but were left to sleep “in a freezing place on uncomfortable chairs”.
“We are in Iraq with bombs going off nearby and the plane still lands. But here some drones have shut down the airport.”
Sussex Police confirmed there are no indications to suggest the drone incident is terror related.
#GatwickDrones | We are carrying out a joint search w/ @Gatwick_Airport for the operators of #drones sighted at #Gatwick. Public safety is paramount and we will take all available actions to disrupt this deliberate act. There are no indications to suggest this is terror related. pic.twitter.com/J36d0Xzo2G
Supt Justin Burtenshaw, Gatwick Airport policing commander, is in charge of trying catch the drone operator.
Speaking to BBC News, he said: “We are still getting sightings of the drone in and around the airfield. I have got over 20 units from Surrey and Sussex and from the airport searching for the drone operator. We are exploring other options to try and bring this situation to a close.”
He said the police believe operator is deliberately trying to disrupt the airport, but there has been no intelligence that this is a terrorist incident.
Burtenshaw, a former head of armed policing at Sussex and Surrey, added:
“Each time we believe we get close to the operator the drone disappears when we look to reopen the airfield the drone reappears, so I’m absolutely convinced it is a deliberate act to disrupt Gatwick airport.
There has been no intelligence that this is going to happen. This is just a random act that has happened overnight.
“I’m convinced we will [capture the operator]. It is a painstaking thing. The bigger the drone the further the reach of the operator so it is a difficult and challenging thing to locate them. But I’ve got teams and investigators looking at how we do that and I’m confident we will.
"I'm absolutely convinced it's a deliberate act to disrupt #Gatwick Airport" - Superintendent Justin Burtenshaw says more than 20 police units are searching for the drone operatorhttps://t.co/wDW0Rtnkq1 pic.twitter.com/Fh98WmaCjL
More than 13 hours after a drone was first spotted over Gatwick the police are still trying to bring it down.
Transport minister Baroness Sugg “The police are working to bring the drone down, and I am confident that they will do so.”
She added: “Our priority is to get that airport open as safely as possible so that people can fly off on their Christmas breaks, or people who are coming in to visit friends and family.”
Various techniques are available for combatting drones, including eagles:
And a signal jamming Sky Fence that has been successfully deployed around Guernsey prison.
Anti-drone technology could be introduced in English prisons
LNER is offering those whose flights have been cancelled between Edinburgh and Gatwick free rail travel.
Has your flight between London #GatwickAirport and Edinburgh been cancelled today? If so, you can use your flight tickets to travel on our trains today for FREE. #HomeforChristmas 🎅 https://t.co/iEB3oRh2Nv
Suzanne Donnelly, Commercial Director at LNER, said: “We know how important it is to get to where you’re going and are delighted that we are able to step in and help out.”
And EasyJet is offering free flight transfers.
Customers on cancelled flights will be entitled to a free of charge transfer to an alternative flight. Whilst the situation is outside of our control we would like to apologise to passengers for the inconvenience caused.