Runway Blockage at Gatwick Causes Flight Diversions
Several flights were diverted from Gatwick Airport after a British Airways plane temporarily blocked one of its runways due to a technical issue.
Emergency services met the British Airways aircraft as a precaution following reports of a "technical fault" with the plane upon landing.
One of the diverted flights, an EasyJet service from Rome to Gatwick that was already delayed, was forced to land at Stansted Airport instead. The aircraft subsequently became stranded there because it was unable to refuel.
Passengers on the EasyJet flight remained on board for over two hours during the night before they were allowed to disembark.
The British Airways plane that caused the temporary runway blockage reportedly experienced a landing gear problem. British Airways confirmed the plane landed safely and passengers disembarked normally.
A spokesperson for London Gatwick stated:
"Earlier this morning, the runway was closed for a short period due to a technical issue with an aircraft.
As a result, a small number of flights were diverted, with the majority later returning to London Gatwick. As always, safety and security is our number one priority."
There were various delays to arrivals and departures at Gatwick Airport on Wednesday, although it was unclear whether these were related to the earlier runway closure.
EasyJet Apologises for Diversion and Delay
EasyJet issued an apology for the inconvenience caused by the diversion and the delay in disembarking its flight diverted to Stansted.
"While we worked to make onward arrangements for customers, as no ground handling staff were available for the unscheduled arrival, the aircraft was unable to refuel and so customers disembarked in Stansted and were advised they would be reimbursed for their onward travel," the airline said.
Passengers were informed that EasyJet was having difficulty obtaining fuel for the plane at Stansted. The airline does not have an arrangement with Swissport, which had provided fuel to another British Airways aircraft.
After disembarking at Stansted, passengers had to arrange their own onward travel and were advised to claim back costs later.
Passenger Rights Regarding Flight Disruption
Under UK law, passengers have certain rights if their flight is cancelled or delayed due to the airline's fault.
These rights apply if you are flying from a UK airport on any airline, arriving at a UK airport on an EU or UK airline, or arriving at an EU airport on a UK airline.
Entitlement depends on the cause of the cancellation and the notice given.
If a flight is cancelled with less than two weeks' notice, passengers may be eligible for compensation based on the timing of the alternative flight offered.
The compensation amount varies according to flight distance:
- For flights under 1,500 km, such as Glasgow to Amsterdam, compensation can be up to £220 per person.
- For flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, such as East Midlands to Marrakesh, compensation can be up to £350 per person.
- For flights over 3,500 km, such as London to New York, compensation can be up to £520 per person.
