Gatwick Airport had to close its main runway on Sunday evening, after a ‘hole’ was reportedly discovered in the tarmac.
According to reports, eight aircraft were diverted and several flights were delayed or forced to circle the sky before landing.
Some passengers said their flights were diverted to Southampton.
Gatwick’s backup runway, which is not usually used for public flights, was opened at 7.40pm on Sunday evening.
Gatwick said the closure lasted for 10 minutes and was a ‘precautionary measure’.
Afterwards, the airport tweeted: "Our main runway is now open and operating and we are working hard to get you on your way.
"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this evening. Your safety is our number one priority."
An airport spokesman described the hole as a "small indentation".
