Runway reopens after drones chaos at Gatwick

The runway had been shut at 9pm on Wednesday, prompting a major manhunt to catch the person or people responsible for flying the drones.

After more than a day of cancellations, more than 100,000 people have been affected by missed flights or having to be diverted elsewhere.

The army was deployed yesterday in a bid to shoot down the drones and help catch those responsible.

Police are continuing the search today.

In a statement Gatwick Airport said: "Our runway is currently available having reopened at 06:00. 

"Aircraft are taking off and landing this morning, but passengers can expect continued delays and cancellations as a result of the disruption yesterday. 

"Gatwick continues to strongly advise passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport.

"Overnight we have been able to work with partners, including Government agencies and the Military to put measures in place which have provided the confidence we needed to re-open the runway and ensure the safety of passengers, which remains our priority.

"Our priority today is to get our operation back on track so that people can be where they need to be for Christmas, and we will update as more information becomes available throughout the day."

Passengers have been affected by the delays. Yesterday Claire Linksted from Brighton was supposed to fly to Lapland with her family.

She said: "It was supposed to be for a four-day magical trip of a lifetime.

"Sadly our flight was cancelled just after lunch and so we are now back home in Brighton.

"We booked the trip in October 2017 and were so excited that the time had finally come only for our hopes to be dashed.

"We are now scheduled to fly today but with a much shortened itinerary. We're not hopeful that it will actually happen though and will have to try and make it up to our five-year-old.

"We just feel so disappointed and hope they catch the idiot causing all this chaos.

"I'm sure the police have done all they can to sort this out but also feel that perhaps the army should have been brought in sooner."

Yesterday Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley, who is leading the investigation, said the incident is "not terrorism related", but said it is understood to be a deliberate act to disrupt the airport.

He said: "This is a particularly challenging situation and my heart goes out to all travellers who have been affected by this criminal behaviour.

"In addition to the searches that are taking place on and around the airfield, we are deploying a number of tactical options to detect and counter these drone activities and bring this to a safe conclusion. Extra officers have been brought in to support the operation.

"Our assessment, based upon the information that we have available to us, is that this incident is not terrorism-related."

Yesterday the chief executive Stewart Wingate apologised for the inconvenience for passengers at a time when nearly three million people are set to pass through the airport between now and the new year.

He said: "On behalf of everyone at Gatwick I would like to repeat how sorry we are for the inconvenience this criminal behaviour has caused passengers and we share their real anger and frustration that it has happened.

"This is a highly targeted activity which has been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run up to Christmas.

"We are working very closely with the police and the security services to try to resolve this for passengers.

“We hope passengers appreciate that we must and will always prioritise their safety over everything else.

"We are all working flat out to minimise inconvenience and have additional staff in both terminals assisting passengers who are waiting.

“To recap the facts. We first had reports of two drones flying in and around the airfield at 9.03pm on Wednesday. As a result, we took immediate steps to close the runway in accordance with our airport safety protocols.

"We obviously wanted to be in a position to reopen the airport again as quickly as possible. We all recognise the urgent need to take the necessary steps that can lead to services getting back to normal as quickly as possible."

Meanwhile rail operator Govia Thameslink Rail is offering thousands of passengers travel at no extra cost to help them complete onward journeys or to help them with alternative plans.

Passengers with a rail ticket to or from Gatwick will be able to travel to or from Luton airport at no extra cost.

Govia chief executive Steve White said: "Passengers are facing serious disruption due to the closure of the airport and we want to help them complete their journeys or make alternative Christmas travel arrangements.”

But community campaign groups such have said the day without aircraft has provided "respite" from having a planes flying overhead.

Communities Against Gatwick Noise and Emissions said concentrated flight paths were brought in in 2013 to 2014.

The group said: "Although CAGNE, an umbrella community group, does not condone the irresponsible behaviour of flying drones near an airport potentially endangering lives, it was an early Christmas present for those that suffer aircraft noise.

"Residents simply feel powerless to stop Gatwick's desire to increase the number of planes above rural homes of Sussex, Surrey and Kent,  especially with their current draft master plan for a three runway airport.

"This incident must question the resilience and vulnerability of Gatwick Airport to such illegal action by unknown person or persons."