Gatwick is warning passengers of further delays this morning after it was forced to close its main runway yesterday, allegedly after a hole was spotted.
The airport closed at around 3pm as investigations were carried out. Up to 20 flights were diverted to other airports including Stansted and Luton while others were cancelled or delayed.
A second, smaller runway was opened after an hour to allow some flights to land, ahead of the main runway re-opening at around 7pm.
However, a statement on the airport’s website this morning warned of ‘knock-on delays’. It said: "Following the closure of our runway yesterday, there may be some knock-on delays and cancellations to flights this morning. Please contact your airline for the latest information about your flight. We’d like to apologise to passengers for disruption they’ve experienced."
By 10am this morning, the airport was saying the delays were only ‘minor’.
Passengers whose Monarch Airlines’ flight from Antalya to Gatwick was one of those diverted to Luton complained after cabin crew refused to sell them drinks and snacks while they waited on the tarmac to continue their journey.
A Monarch Airlines spokesman told the Evening Standard crew were unable to sell anything when the plane was on the ground ‘due to customs law’. He said passengers were offered tap water, ‘where available’ before they were eventually transfered by coach to Gatwick.
