London's Gatwick Airport Reopens, Though Delays and Cancellations Linger
London's Gatwick Airport (LGW) reopened on Friday morning after being closed for more than 30 hours because of multiple drone sightings over the airfield.
The single-runway airport, the UK's second busiest, said that 837 flights are scheduled for Friday, though there are delays and cancellations. Chris Woodroofe, LGW's chief operating officer, told the BBC that "mitigating measures" from the government and military had given him the "confidence to reopen."
"We are now operating at almost normal runway conditions but the challenge for the airlines, as the result of this disruption, is that their planes are not all in the right place," Woodroofe said.
While passengers with travel scheduled through LGW on Friday should expect lingering delays and cancellations, airport officials say that the airport is expected to be "back to normal" by the end of Saturday.
More than 120,000 passengers were affected by the airport's closure during the 30-hour period, with more than 760 flights having been cancelled.
The airport closed at 9pm on Wednesday following reports of drones above the airfield. It briefly reopened at 3am on Thursday morning but closed again 45 minutes later following further sightings. 10,000 passengers were affected overnight on Wednesday with many spending the night in the airport terminal sleeping on floors and chairs.
Police believe the drone flight was a was "a deliberate act to disrupt the airport," but there was no evidence to suggest it was terror-related. Both police and military have been searching for the operator of the drone(s), who could face up to five years in jail. Finding the operator of the drone has proved challenging for police, who say that the drone could have possibly been operated by an environmental activist.
As criticism of the airport and police operation grew during the period of closure, police confirmed they were considering shooting down the drone.
About 140 flights scheduled for Friday have already been canceled, and Ryanair has moved all of its flights for the day to London's Stansted Airport (STN).
The UK's Civil Aviation Authority considers this disruption an "extraordinary circumstance," which means passengers are not due any financial compensation from airlines. However, airlines still have a "duty of care" to look after affected travelers, which includes providing meals, refreshments, hotels and transfers where required.
Earlier in the week, Gatwick predicted a record-breaking festive period with 2.8 million passengers expected to travel through the airport over the next two weeks.
The first flight to depart Gatwick was a Norwegian 737 to Lapland.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.