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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2018/dec/20/gatwick-airport-drone-travel-chaos-disruption-live-updates
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| Thousands forced to spend night at airport as chaos continues – as it happened | Thousands forced to spend night at airport as chaos continues – as it happened |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Hi everyone, we’re going to close down this blog. | Hi everyone, we’re going to close down this blog. |
| I will be back with a fresh blog following the developments at Gatwick in a few hours, which we will run throughout Friday, so see you all soon. | I will be back with a fresh blog following the developments at Gatwick in a few hours, which we will run throughout Friday, so see you all soon. |
| If you’re stuck at the airport, preparing to miss out on spending Christmas in the city you were hoping to, or weighing up whether it’s worth heading to Gatwick tomorrow to see if you can get your flight, I wish you the very best of luck. | If you’re stuck at the airport, preparing to miss out on spending Christmas in the city you were hoping to, or weighing up whether it’s worth heading to Gatwick tomorrow to see if you can get your flight, I wish you the very best of luck. |
| Thanks for following along. See you in a bit. | Thanks for following along. See you in a bit. |
| Gatwick drone chaos: operator not yet found but flights resume as airport reopens – live | |
| In case you’re wondering, ‘what damage could a drone really do to a plane?’, this video, which shows tests performed at the University of Dayton Research Institute’s Impact Physics Lab, shows the havoc that even small drones can wreak on aircraft. | In case you’re wondering, ‘what damage could a drone really do to a plane?’, this video, which shows tests performed at the University of Dayton Research Institute’s Impact Physics Lab, shows the havoc that even small drones can wreak on aircraft. |
| You’ll be unsurprised to hear that it is (almost) all about the Gatwick chaos on the front pages of the papers today. | You’ll be unsurprised to hear that it is (almost) all about the Gatwick chaos on the front pages of the papers today. |
| “Chaos in the skies,” says the i. The Sun calls it: “The drone wolf” and the Guardian reports “Gatwick chaos sparks call for new controls on drones”.The Daily Mail is incredulous, asking: “How COULD this speck in the sky ruin Christmas for 350,000?” and the Express feels similarly: “Just how can drone maniac shut Gatwick?” | “Chaos in the skies,” says the i. The Sun calls it: “The drone wolf” and the Guardian reports “Gatwick chaos sparks call for new controls on drones”.The Daily Mail is incredulous, asking: “How COULD this speck in the sky ruin Christmas for 350,000?” and the Express feels similarly: “Just how can drone maniac shut Gatwick?” |
| The Telegraph cites a Whitehall source who suggests environmentalists could be responsible: “Eco-warriors blamed for drone attack that crippled Gatwick” and the Times reports: “Army called in as drones force Gatwick shutdown”. | The Telegraph cites a Whitehall source who suggests environmentalists could be responsible: “Eco-warriors blamed for drone attack that crippled Gatwick” and the Times reports: “Army called in as drones force Gatwick shutdown”. |
| THE GUARDIAN: Gatwick chaos sparks call for new controls on drones #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/FwE7wRL5IS | THE GUARDIAN: Gatwick chaos sparks call for new controls on drones #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/FwE7wRL5IS |
| DAILY MAIL: How COULD this speck in the sky ruin Christmas for 350,000? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/1YI5Ovlb7d | DAILY MAIL: How COULD this speck in the sky ruin Christmas for 350,000? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/1YI5Ovlb7d |
| EXPRESS: Just how can drone maniac shut Gatwick? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/EDiqUSgHpy | EXPRESS: Just how can drone maniac shut Gatwick? #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/EDiqUSgHpy |
| I: Chaos in the skies #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/k7Oafd47kw | I: Chaos in the skies #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/k7Oafd47kw |
| THE TIMES: Army called in as drones force Gatwick shutdown #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Thvi1Xvx96 | THE TIMES: Army called in as drones force Gatwick shutdown #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/Thvi1Xvx96 |
| DAILY TELEGRAPH: Eco-warriors blamed for drone attack that crippled Gatwick #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/fYR9wKY3Lm | DAILY TELEGRAPH: Eco-warriors blamed for drone attack that crippled Gatwick #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/fYR9wKY3Lm |
| Some tricky stories and dilemmas coming in from readers. Anthea is stuck in Las Vegas for Christmas with her family, which is really rough, I hope you find a way to make that an OK experience Anthea. | Some tricky stories and dilemmas coming in from readers. Anthea is stuck in Las Vegas for Christmas with her family, which is really rough, I hope you find a way to make that an OK experience Anthea. |
| @MsKateLyons me and my family is stuck at Las Vegas atm. Which I know it seems like a good place to be, Christmas is not the same if you’re not home. @Fly_Norwegian won’t compensate us to fly with a different airline before Christmas, so we are stuck here until 27th. 😭😭😭 | @MsKateLyons me and my family is stuck at Las Vegas atm. Which I know it seems like a good place to be, Christmas is not the same if you’re not home. @Fly_Norwegian won’t compensate us to fly with a different airline before Christmas, so we are stuck here until 27th. 😭😭😭 |
| This is a huge dilemma from Andrina, who has a flight due to leave at 6:20am Friday and has a two-year-old, so is wondering whether to go down there. | This is a huge dilemma from Andrina, who has a flight due to leave at 6:20am Friday and has a two-year-old, so is wondering whether to go down there. |
| @MsKateLyons I'm sorry you might not know our airline (Norwegian) isn't saying much - on phone they said our flight is leaving on time 6.20 this morning. I have a 2 year old- should we head down there? | @MsKateLyons I'm sorry you might not know our airline (Norwegian) isn't saying much - on phone they said our flight is leaving on time 6.20 this morning. I have a 2 year old- should we head down there? |
| That’s really difficult Andrina, and is similar to other stories from readers coming in, like this one from Yiannis. | That’s really difficult Andrina, and is similar to other stories from readers coming in, like this one from Yiannis. |
| @MsKateLyons Hello! Scheduled to fly from @Gatwick_Airport @9am to Greece. Flight still shows on-time on @easyJet site. Leaving Oxford for the airport at 4am-hopefully will know till then if the airport will open #drones | @MsKateLyons Hello! Scheduled to fly from @Gatwick_Airport @9am to Greece. Flight still shows on-time on @easyJet site. Leaving Oxford for the airport at 4am-hopefully will know till then if the airport will open #drones |
| I really wish I had a way of giving you a definitive answer on this, but I don’t and I can’t really advise you, you’re the one who will has to weigh holding a grumpy baby at 4am at a potentially closed airport against the risk of missing your flight, but here’s what we do know: | I really wish I had a way of giving you a definitive answer on this, but I don’t and I can’t really advise you, you’re the one who will has to weigh holding a grumpy baby at 4am at a potentially closed airport against the risk of missing your flight, but here’s what we do know: |
| Earlier tonight (around 9:30pm) Gatwick’s chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said the airline would be reviewing the situation overnight to see “whether there is any potential to open tomorrow” but they are “working up contingency plans all the way through to no flights tomorrow.” | Earlier tonight (around 9:30pm) Gatwick’s chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said the airline would be reviewing the situation overnight to see “whether there is any potential to open tomorrow” but they are “working up contingency plans all the way through to no flights tomorrow.” |
| Woodroofe said the situation remained “fluid”, the drone operator(s) had not yet been found and at the time he said the airport is expected to be closed for the “foreseeable future” while the hunt for the drone operator continues. | Woodroofe said the situation remained “fluid”, the drone operator(s) had not yet been found and at the time he said the airport is expected to be closed for the “foreseeable future” while the hunt for the drone operator continues. |
| The airport’s advice is that those due to travel on Friday should check with their airline before arriving at the airport, which I understand is not really very helpful advice for people who are weighing up whether to leave Oxford at 4am to make it to their early morning flight or whether to take their two-year-old to the airport early this morning. | The airport’s advice is that those due to travel on Friday should check with their airline before arriving at the airport, which I understand is not really very helpful advice for people who are weighing up whether to leave Oxford at 4am to make it to their early morning flight or whether to take their two-year-old to the airport early this morning. |
| But, such is the frustrating, “fluid” nature of this situation, I’m afraid that’s the best information I can give. | But, such is the frustrating, “fluid” nature of this situation, I’m afraid that’s the best information I can give. |
| Simon Gascoigne has had a very rough journey. He barely made it out of Sydney yesterday, which was hit with huge hailstorms, and made it to Taipei, from where he is meant to fly to Gatwick. He says the flight, which is meant to leave in 15 minutes and has now been pushed back to an unknown departure time. | Simon Gascoigne has had a very rough journey. He barely made it out of Sydney yesterday, which was hit with huge hailstorms, and made it to Taipei, from where he is meant to fly to Gatwick. He says the flight, which is meant to leave in 15 minutes and has now been pushed back to an unknown departure time. |
| Anyone have tips for how to celebrate a Taiwanese Christmas? | Anyone have tips for how to celebrate a Taiwanese Christmas? |
| Stuck in TPE... Managed to get out with the Sydney storms yesterday... TPE-LGW on @ChinaairlinesEN meant to leave in 15 minutes, got pushed back 30, now pushed back to unknown... What's a Taiwanese Xmas like? | Stuck in TPE... Managed to get out with the Sydney storms yesterday... TPE-LGW on @ChinaairlinesEN meant to leave in 15 minutes, got pushed back 30, now pushed back to unknown... What's a Taiwanese Xmas like? |
| A few questions coming in from readers about when the airport will reopen and whether people booked on flights leaving Gatwick tomorrow should travel to the airport. | A few questions coming in from readers about when the airport will reopen and whether people booked on flights leaving Gatwick tomorrow should travel to the airport. |
| @MsKateLyons Hello! My 72 yr old mum is sposed to get a flight LGW-YYZ tmr am. Her airline is currently advising it'll leave 35 mins late. Which, is not what is gonna happen. Should she go to the airport tomorrow at all? @airtransat | @MsKateLyons Hello! My 72 yr old mum is sposed to get a flight LGW-YYZ tmr am. Her airline is currently advising it'll leave 35 mins late. Which, is not what is gonna happen. Should she go to the airport tomorrow at all? @airtransat |
| Firstly, my commiserations to anyone in this situation. The best answer I can give is that you should check the specific advice being given by your airline first thing in the morning. | Firstly, my commiserations to anyone in this situation. The best answer I can give is that you should check the specific advice being given by your airline first thing in the morning. |
| For example, EasyJet, which operates almost half of all flights at the Sussex airport, warned this afternoon that passengers should not to travel to Gatwick on Friday until checking the status of the flight, adding: “At this stage there is no indication of when the airport might re-open ... We expect disruption to continue into tomorrow.” | For example, EasyJet, which operates almost half of all flights at the Sussex airport, warned this afternoon that passengers should not to travel to Gatwick on Friday until checking the status of the flight, adding: “At this stage there is no indication of when the airport might re-open ... We expect disruption to continue into tomorrow.” |
| Ryanair said all its scheduled services to and from Gatwick on Friday would operate from Stansted. | Ryanair said all its scheduled services to and from Gatwick on Friday would operate from Stansted. |
| If any more announcements come from airlines or the aiport itself tonight, I’ll bring that to you - please flag up anything you see and thanks everyone for your questions and for getting in touch, please do tweet me if you have any questions or a story you want to share. | If any more announcements come from airlines or the aiport itself tonight, I’ll bring that to you - please flag up anything you see and thanks everyone for your questions and for getting in touch, please do tweet me if you have any questions or a story you want to share. |
| Ben Machell, from the Times, has started a rather amazing Twitter thread imagining what might be unfolding right now, after a flight from New York to London was diverted, forcing the plane to land in Doncaster. | Ben Machell, from the Times, has started a rather amazing Twitter thread imagining what might be unfolding right now, after a flight from New York to London was diverted, forcing the plane to land in Doncaster. |
| He suggests that this is the perfect set-up for a Christmas movie starring a “dagger-heeled Manhattan executive” played by Sandra Bullock, who falls in love with an “East Coast mainline signalman” played by Sean Bean. | He suggests that this is the perfect set-up for a Christmas movie starring a “dagger-heeled Manhattan executive” played by Sandra Bullock, who falls in love with an “East Coast mainline signalman” played by Sean Bean. |
| This is the plot to a Christmas movie. Plane full of New Yorkers find themselves stranded in Donny over the festive period. Dagger-heeled Manhattan executive (Sandra Bullock) gradually falls in love with East Coast Mainline signalman (Sean Bean). Jim Broadbent in the mix. https://t.co/mrOxiQz1wU | This is the plot to a Christmas movie. Plane full of New Yorkers find themselves stranded in Donny over the festive period. Dagger-heeled Manhattan executive (Sandra Bullock) gradually falls in love with East Coast Mainline signalman (Sean Bean). Jim Broadbent in the mix. https://t.co/mrOxiQz1wU |
| The entire thread is comedy gold, I recommend reading it in full (and if you’re currently stuck at Gatwick, let’s be honest, you’ve got the time). Others are chiming in with suggestions including “Bill Nighy as the grounded pilot in a sub-plot who finds love with Joanna Lumley’s air hostess”. I would watch that movie. | The entire thread is comedy gold, I recommend reading it in full (and if you’re currently stuck at Gatwick, let’s be honest, you’ve got the time). Others are chiming in with suggestions including “Bill Nighy as the grounded pilot in a sub-plot who finds love with Joanna Lumley’s air hostess”. I would watch that movie. |
| Bill Nighy as the grounded pilot in a sub-plot who finds love with Joanna Lumley’s air hostess. | Bill Nighy as the grounded pilot in a sub-plot who finds love with Joanna Lumley’s air hostess. |
| Good evening everyone, this is Kate Lyons taking over the blog from my colleague Nadeem Badshah. | Good evening everyone, this is Kate Lyons taking over the blog from my colleague Nadeem Badshah. |
| If you are still reading this blog at 12:45am, as many of you are, then you are either not in Britain but are fascinated by the madness of this delay, or you’re in the UK waiting to hear if you’ll be able to get your flight tomorrow, or perhaps you’re trapped in Gatwick airport, trying to sleep slumped against your luggage or hunched on an uncomfortable seat in the horrible glare of bright lights as the airport tannoy announces further delays and other non-news. | If you are still reading this blog at 12:45am, as many of you are, then you are either not in Britain but are fascinated by the madness of this delay, or you’re in the UK waiting to hear if you’ll be able to get your flight tomorrow, or perhaps you’re trapped in Gatwick airport, trying to sleep slumped against your luggage or hunched on an uncomfortable seat in the horrible glare of bright lights as the airport tannoy announces further delays and other non-news. |
| If that is you, you have my very sincere sympathy. Airports are terrible at the best of times, but when you’re trapped there for a long period, with no sense of when you’ll be able to leave, they are veritable hell-holes. | If that is you, you have my very sincere sympathy. Airports are terrible at the best of times, but when you’re trapped there for a long period, with no sense of when you’ll be able to leave, they are veritable hell-holes. |
| I’ll be bringing you any news as it comes through over the next little while. If you have a story, a picture or a whinge to share get in touch with me on Twitter on @mskatelyons. I am not trapped in Gatwick, but I’m with you in spirit and in this blog. | I’ll be bringing you any news as it comes through over the next little while. If you have a story, a picture or a whinge to share get in touch with me on Twitter on @mskatelyons. I am not trapped in Gatwick, but I’m with you in spirit and in this blog. |
| Gatwick will remain closed until at least 6am on Friday | Gatwick will remain closed until at least 6am on Friday |
| More than 50 sightings of the drone have been reported | More than 50 sightings of the drone have been reported |
| Police say they will consider shooting down the drone | Police say they will consider shooting down the drone |
| Travellers have been advised not to travel to Gatwick until they check their flight status | Travellers have been advised not to travel to Gatwick until they check their flight status |
| Night flight restrictions have been lifted at other airports to help ease delays | Night flight restrictions have been lifted at other airports to help ease delays |
| Ryanair flights will operate from London Stansted instead of Gatwick on Friday | Ryanair flights will operate from London Stansted instead of Gatwick on Friday |
| Gisele Fenech, 43, who was travelling to Malta, was among those stranded at the airport tonight. | Gisele Fenech, 43, who was travelling to Malta, was among those stranded at the airport tonight. |
| “We’re meeting family and it’s my daughter’s birthday today so it’s gone all wrong,” she told AFP. | “We’re meeting family and it’s my daughter’s birthday today so it’s gone all wrong,” she told AFP. |
| “We’ve been looking forward to this for so long. | “We’ve been looking forward to this for so long. |
| “Everyone’s trying to get home for Christmas.” | “Everyone’s trying to get home for Christmas.” |