Gatwick security scare wrecks travel plans for tens of thousands of passengers
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On Saturday morning, many passengers will find themselves in unexpected locations due to a security alert that led to the evacuation of a significant portion of Gatwick airport in London.
On Friday at 8:20 AM, employees at the South Terminal found what appeared to be a restricted item in a passenger's carry-on luggage. By 10:55 AM, law enforcement had set up a security perimeter and instructed everyone to evacuate the terminal and the nearby train station.
At the most crowded single-runway airport in the world, things started to go wrong right away for many passengers who were scheduled to fly.
Passengers who had checked in and gone through security were allowed to stay in the area beyond security checks. As a result, many flights took off with fewer people on board than originally intended.
However, some of the passengers were instructed to exit the building. Some found refuge from the freezing conditions in parking lots, while others made their way to the North Terminal, which is roughly a 15-minute walk.
The check-in process at the South Terminal was halted for over four hours.
The North Terminal, which serves as the primary hub for easyJet, Emirates, and Tui, remained functional, but a number of travelers encountered significant difficulties getting to the airport. Gatwick is home to the busiest airport train station in the UK, typically serving over 50,000 travelers each day. Although trains were still passing through, they were unable to make stops due to the ongoing security alert.
Thameslink trains have introduced an additional stop at Horley, a quaint commuter station in Surrey. From there, travelers can either stroll to the North Terminal in about 30 minutes or opt for a £30 cab ride for the short two-mile trip.
Eve and Alessandro, a pair from South London, had tickets for Ryanair's midday flight to Alicante. They made their way to a nearby station called Three Bridges and then took a taxi to the only accessible area of the airport, which was the North Terminal.
"We've been sitting here for hours, and our flight keeps getting delayed," Eve said in an interview with The Independent.
The flight finally took off roughly three hours later than planned.
At the same time, numerous confused travelers were landing at the North Terminal. While planes could land and park at the gates of the South Terminal, passengers had to take buses to reach the North Terminal for check-in. Once they made it to International Arrivals, they found that there were limited options for continuing their journey.
According to Sussex Police, bomb disposal experts ensured that the package was secure, and the two individuals who were held have since been permitted to go on with their travels.
At 2:45 PM, the South Terminal was ready to reopen. However, before travelers could be let back inside, security personnel and UK Border Force had to take their places again.
Travelers were allowed to enter again just after 3pm, leading to long lines at the check-in and service counters. Many disappointed passengers discovered that their flights were among the over 80 that had been canceled. While British Airways faced the majority of cancellations, airlines like Vueling, Wizz Air, and Ryanair also had grounded flights.
Nadira, a passenger on a British Airways flight to Malta, found out around 3 PM that her flight had been canceled and that she would now be traveling on Saturday.
"Everything has been poorly managed, and there's a complete lack of clarity about the situation," she remarked. "The communication has been awful."
Once again, the UK’s aviation infrastructure has shown its tight margins. As a result, airlines will face expenses amounting to millions of pounds for passenger services and missed earnings.
