Dec 20, 2018, 5:24 am
Last edit by: Canarsie
Travelling to of from London Gatwick 21 December 2018
All LGW services operated on Friday with 2 exceptions (BA2758/0 to AMS and back; BA2938/9 EDI and back). Many flights were heavily delayed.
List of inbound BA diversions from latest closure is in post 463
Incomplete list of inbound cancellations for Friday 21 December is here in post 298.
Current customer guidelines in this post 344 (you can rebook free of charge to 5 January and reroute via LHR/LCY). Try rebooking via the App if you can, otherwise you need to telephone BA.
Background
Gatwick Airport was closed at 21:03 on Wednesday 19 December following reports of drones flying over the airfield. Sightings have continued throughout Thursday 20 December requiring the airport to remain closed. Gatwick Airport advising all passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. Gatwick airport was further closed on Friday 21 December from 17:00 until 18:25 at which time normal operations resumed after suspected drone sightings.
Previous updates
Current list of cancelled and diverted services
Post 96 and Post 132 and Post 184
All LGW services operated on Friday with 2 exceptions (BA2758/0 to AMS and back; BA2938/9 EDI and back). Many flights were heavily delayed.
List of inbound BA diversions from latest closure is in post 463
Incomplete list of inbound cancellations for Friday 21 December is here in post 298.
Current customer guidelines in this post 344 (you can rebook free of charge to 5 January and reroute via LHR/LCY). Try rebooking via the App if you can, otherwise you need to telephone BA.
Background
Gatwick Airport was closed at 21:03 on Wednesday 19 December following reports of drones flying over the airfield. Sightings have continued throughout Thursday 20 December requiring the airport to remain closed. Gatwick Airport advising all passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. Gatwick airport was further closed on Friday 21 December from 17:00 until 18:25 at which time normal operations resumed after suspected drone sightings.
Previous updates
Current list of cancelled and diverted services
Post 96 and Post 132 and Post 184
LGW closed due to drone activity
Dec 19, 2018, 4:58 pm
#16
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There's a further update that LGW is staying closed for the time being, and the diverted flights are no longer showing an onward route to LGW. Well, one exception the NCE flight still has a Stansted link. My guess is that BA will disembark all passengers at STN and LHR now. Affected aircraft are
- BA2625 NCE - diverted to STN
- BA2709 BCN - diverted to LHR
- BA2965 GLA - diverted to LHR
- BA2977 SVQ - diverted to STN
and the Venice flight has been stopped overnight in VCE
Easyjet has a lot more flights affected, and they've got a stack of aircraft arriving into LTN.
BBC news report confirming the story, and diversions tweets
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46623754
- BA2625 NCE - diverted to STN
- BA2709 BCN - diverted to LHR
- BA2965 GLA - diverted to LHR
- BA2977 SVQ - diverted to STN
and the Venice flight has been stopped overnight in VCE
Easyjet has a lot more flights affected, and they've got a stack of aircraft arriving into LTN.
BBC news report confirming the story, and diversions tweets
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-46623754
I count nearly 20 LGW EasyJet aircraft all over Europe right now - so guessing some major disruption to their schedule.
Dec 19, 2018, 4:59 pm
#17
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From what I gather, an collision may well have happened, although not in the UK and not confirmed yet, and thankfully no injuries:
Incident: Aeromexico B738 at Tijuana on Dec 12th 2018, radome damage on final approach
Incident: Aeromexico B738 at Tijuana on Dec 12th 2018, radome damage on final approach
Dec 19, 2018, 5:20 pm
#18
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I would guess perhaps a couple of BA cancellations tomorrow if they re-open in the next few hours. If the airport stays closed for longer then at some point the first BA flights tomorrow will get impacted. BA doesn't run that many late evening flights in or out of LGW, whereas easyJet and the smaller operators tend to use that period, so BA in a way got off lightly so far. The BGI and BDA services are the first ones due into LGW at around 06:00 hrs, and the first outwards are GLA and SZG due to depart 06:35
Dec 19, 2018, 9:52 pm
#20
Join Date: Dec 2012
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Just a heads up all this is still ongoing this morning........
Over 50 flights have already diverted to alternate airports due to the earlier reports of drones operating over the airfield. Eurocontrol reporting LGW closed until 0800UTC (subject to change).
Over 50 flights have already diverted to alternate airports due to the earlier reports of drones operating over the airfield. Eurocontrol reporting LGW closed until 0800UTC (subject to change).
Last edited by Deanog1976; Dec 19, 2018 at 10:32 pm Reason: Additional information
Dec 19, 2018, 11:38 pm
#21
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I would guess perhaps a couple of BA cancellations tomorrow if they re-open in the next few hours. If the airport stays closed for longer then at some point the first BA flights tomorrow will get impacted. BA doesn't run that many late evening flights in or out of LGW, whereas easyJet and the smaller operators tend to use that period, so BA in a way got off lightly so far. The BGI and BDA services are the first ones due into LGW at around 06:00 hrs, and the first outwards are GLA and SZG due to depart 06:35
BDA is diverting to AMS.
Dec 19, 2018, 11:57 pm
#23
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MrsNWI and I are sitting in the F lounge at LGW now waiting for an AMS flight. The lounge itself is quiet, and currently our flight is the only one showing delayed up to 10.05am departure time where the boards currently stop.
In our particular case the app shows the delay is due to late incoming aircraft, and it has been moving outwards since 5am, from just under two to over four hours, so it’s certainly fluid. There do appear, however, to be plenty of aircraft on stand currently so I’d be surprised if most things don’t get away close to time.
Consistent with this, lounge advice is that flights will board on time, which tallies with a further inspection at daylight. Early indications bear this out with gates closed and other early flights boarding.
In our particular case the app shows the delay is due to late incoming aircraft, and it has been moving outwards since 5am, from just under two to over four hours, so it’s certainly fluid. There do appear, however, to be plenty of aircraft on stand currently so I’d be surprised if most things don’t get away close to time.
Consistent with this, lounge advice is that flights will board on time, which tallies with a further inspection at daylight. Early indications bear this out with gates closed and other early flights boarding.
Dec 20, 2018, 12:16 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2016
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According to the BBC, they were forced to close the runway again shortly after re-opening this morning, due to fresh sightings of drones over the airfield. Seems like the batteries have been re-charged...
Dec 20, 2018, 12:21 am
#25
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What sort of range do drones have (from the controller)? Do they have to be in line of sight? Just wondering what could be done to find the person operating it. Presumably they can’t be that far away from the airfield? Apologies if I’m oversimplifying it - I genuinely have no idea.
Dec 20, 2018, 12:57 am
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
LGW website departures section shows plenty of delayed flights including BA. Typically 30/45m and some over an hour.
In fact the airport is reported closed at 7.30?
Dec 20, 2018, 12:57 am
#27
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MrsNWI and I are sitting in the F lounge at LGW now waiting for an AMS flight. The lounge itself is quiet, and currently our flight is the only one showing delayed up to 10.05am departure time where the boards currently stop.
In our particular case the app shows the delay is due to late incoming aircraft, and it has been moving outwards since 5am, from just under two to over four hours, so it’s certainly fluid. There do appear, however, to be plenty of aircraft on stand currently so I’d be surprised if most things don’t get away close to time.
Consistent with this, lounge advice is that flights will board on time, which tallies with a further inspection at daylight. Early indications bear this out with gates closed and other early flights boarding.
In our particular case the app shows the delay is due to late incoming aircraft, and it has been moving outwards since 5am, from just under two to over four hours, so it’s certainly fluid. There do appear, however, to be plenty of aircraft on stand currently so I’d be surprised if most things don’t get away close to time.
Consistent with this, lounge advice is that flights will board on time, which tallies with a further inspection at daylight. Early indications bear this out with gates closed and other early flights boarding.
Dec 20, 2018, 1:02 am
#28
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Person from Gatwick on Radio 4 just now reported that the drones have been over the runway almost continuously overnight, and are still there. 20 police patrols are looking for the operator.
Last edited by Truffles; Dec 20, 2018 at 1:03 am Reason: correction
Dec 20, 2018, 1:03 am
#30
Join Date: Mar 2017
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What sort of range do drones have (from the controller)? Do they have to be in line of sight? Just wondering what could be done to find the person operating it. Presumably they can’t be that far away from the airfield? Apologies if I’m oversimplifying it - I genuinely have no idea.
Assuming you don't care about the rules, and flying over Gatwick suggests you don't, then beyond line of sight is entirely possible and 10km+ ranges are well within the reach of a hobby operator with relatively simple modifications. Of course there is no need to actually control the drone and pre-programmed flight paths are possible.