Hundreds are stranded as drone causes airport chaos
Gatwick security alert sees planes grounded and Christmas travel plans hit
HUNDREDS of Irish passengers have been left stranded as a security alert sparked by illegal drones flying near Gatwick Airport has led to travel chaos.
Airlines are scrambling to get people home just days before Christmas as flights at the London airport were grounded.
It is hoped that rescheduled flights for more than 110,000 people who were left stranded will take off today with airlines, including Aer Lingus and Ryanair, putting measures in place to tackle the large volumes of passengers on what is traditionally the busiest weekend before Christmas.
All Ryanair flights travelling between Dublin and London Gatwick today are now being rerouted to London Stansted.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus said that it “put contingency plans in place, including adding additional flights and increasing flight capacity into London Heathrow, to ensure minimum guest disruption”.
It is understood that Irish soccer manager Mick McCarthy was caught up in the chaos.
Some 28 flights in and out of Dublin are believed to have been affected.
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said the drone flights which have shut down Gatwick Airport are “highly targeted” and have “been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run-up to Christmas”.
HUNDREDS of Irish passengers have been left stranded as a security alert sparked by illegal drones flying near Gatwick Airport led to travel chaos.
Airlines were scrambling to fly people home just days before Christmas after the London airport grounded all flights at 9pm on Wednesday and remained closed last night. Gatwick Airport’s chief operating officer Chris Woodroofe said the drones had been sighted late last night.
Mr Woodroofe added that contingency plans were being considered, including to cancel flights today.
It is hoped rescheduled flights for more than 110,000 people stranded will take off today. Airlines including Aer Lingus and Ryanair have put measures in place to tackle large volumes of passengers on the busiest weekend before Christmas. All Ryanair flights travelling between Dublin and London Gatwick today are being rerouted to London Stansted.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus said it “put contingency plans in place, including adding additional flights and increasing flight capacity in to London Heathrow, to ensure minimum guest disruption”.
Some 28 flights in and out of Dublin Airport were believed to have been affected by the disruption yesterday, with two London-bound transatlantic flights also being rerouted to Dublin.
The British army was brought in to secure Gatwick Airport after what police believe was a deliberate attempt to cause disruption.
In a statement yesterday evening, Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said the drone flights which had shut down Gatwick were “highly targeted” and have “been designed to close the airport and bring maximum disruption in the run-up to Christmas”.
Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said there had been over 50 sightings of a drone. He added: “We don’t know what the drone specification is.
“Our working assumption is it’s larger than what someone might buy online, we think it may have been adapted and developed.”
Under UK law, drone operators are forbidden from flying within 1km of airports.
It is understood that Ireland soccer manager Mick McCarthy was caught up in the chaos.
Asked what prevention measures were in place to stop drones causing havoc at Ireland’s main airports, a spokesman for DAA declined to comment on anti-drone precautions. “The safety and security of passengers, staff and other airport users is Dublin Airport’s key priority, but for operational reasons we never comment on specific security matters,” the spokesman said.
In April 2017, Cork Airport was shut down briefly after a drone was spotted illegally hovering within the 5km area surrounding the terminal.
Fiona O’Neill from Co Down, who works as a teacher in England, spent five hours sitting in a plane on the runway on Wednesday night before she was told she was facing even further delays.
“I was so excited to finish work for Christmas, get up the road and go to the airport,” she said.
“I arrived early and said I would treat myself to dinner
one from the airport or airline would tell us anything.
“They were telling us to book our own flights from other places like Liverpool but they were extortionate, up to €300 and €400,” she added.
All customers expecting to travel this weekend are asked to check with their airlines before flying to the UK over the coming days.
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus said passengers can opt to wait for the next available flight, ask for a refund or change their flight for free in the case of a cancelled flight.