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Gatwick drones: Two arrested over flight disruption
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Related TopicsGatwick drone shutdown
Sussex Police are at the airportImage copyrightEDDIE MITCHELL
Image caption
Police remain at the airport to "detect and mitigate" any further drone threats
Two people have been arrested in connection with a string of drone sightings that brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill.
A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman, from Crawley, were arrested in the town at about 22:00 GMT on Friday.
Flights had been grounded for more than a day, affecting about 140,000 passengers, after drones were seen near the runway.
The airport has since reopened and flights are operating on schedule.
Sussex Police said it was continuing to investigate the "criminal use of drones" and appealed for information.
The airport said it aimed to run "a full schedule" of 757 flights on Saturday, carrying 124,484 passengers.
Ben Schofield, BBC News at Gatwick Airport
Passengers are flowing reasonably well through the South Terminal.
Coming in through arrivals, it's a different story. Passengers are talking of delays of many hours involving road and ferry diversions.
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted during the 36 hours of disruption and that knock-on effect is still being felt.
Gatwick Airport passengers queuing at check in
Image caption
The disruption lasted well into Friday evening
Presentational white space
But a spokesman added: "Passengers should expect some delays and cancellations as we continue to recover our operations following three days of disruption."
ADVERTISEMENT
They also urged passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
Supt James Collis said officers remained at Gatwick, ready to "detect and mitigate" further drone flights by deploying a range of tactics.
'Desperately trying to get back'
How can a drone cause so much chaos?
He asked passengers and people living nearby to remain vigilant and report any suspicions.
"Every line of inquiry will remain open to us until we are confident that we have mitigated further threats to the safety of passengers," he added.
Passengers waiting for a flight at Gatwick airport in SussexImage copyrightEPA
Image caption
Passengers were left waiting in the departure areas
Gatwick reopened on Friday morning, although the runway was closed again for a short time after a further confirmed drone sighting at 17:10.
A spokeswoman for the airport said military measures put in place at the airfield made it safe to reopen.
Eleven inbound flights were diverted to other airports during the latest suspension and, while outbound flights would experience a "knock-on delay", none had been cancelled, she said.
However, the BBC has been contacted by people claiming their flights were cancelled.
A small number of flights due to arrive into Gatwick on Saturday were cancelled, according to the airport's website.
They include an Easyjet service from Milan and a TUI flight from Barbados.
A Gatwick spokesman said: "Safety is Gatwick's top priority and we are grateful for passengers' continued patience as we work to get them to their final destination in time for Christmas."
Have you been affected by the suspension of flights at Gatwick Airport? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
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Related TopicsGatwick drone shutdown
Sussex Police are at the airportImage copyrightEDDIE MITCHELL
Image caption
Police remain at the airport to "detect and mitigate" any further drone threats
Two people have been arrested in connection with a string of drone sightings that brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill.
A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman, from Crawley, were arrested in the town at about 22:00 GMT on Friday.
Flights had been grounded for more than a day, affecting about 140,000 passengers, after drones were seen near the runway.
The airport has since reopened and flights are operating on schedule.
Sussex Police said it was continuing to investigate the "criminal use of drones" and appealed for information.
The airport said it aimed to run "a full schedule" of 757 flights on Saturday, carrying 124,484 passengers.
Ben Schofield, BBC News at Gatwick Airport
Passengers are flowing reasonably well through the South Terminal.
Coming in through arrivals, it's a different story. Passengers are talking of delays of many hours involving road and ferry diversions.
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted during the 36 hours of disruption and that knock-on effect is still being felt.
Gatwick Airport passengers queuing at check in
Image caption
The disruption lasted well into Friday evening
Presentational white space
But a spokesman added: "Passengers should expect some delays and cancellations as we continue to recover our operations following three days of disruption."
ADVERTISEMENT
They also urged passengers to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
Supt James Collis said officers remained at Gatwick, ready to "detect and mitigate" further drone flights by deploying a range of tactics.
'Desperately trying to get back'
How can a drone cause so much chaos?
He asked passengers and people living nearby to remain vigilant and report any suspicions.
"Every line of inquiry will remain open to us until we are confident that we have mitigated further threats to the safety of passengers," he added.
Passengers waiting for a flight at Gatwick airport in SussexImage copyrightEPA
Image caption
Passengers were left waiting in the departure areas
Gatwick reopened on Friday morning, although the runway was closed again for a short time after a further confirmed drone sighting at 17:10.
A spokeswoman for the airport said military measures put in place at the airfield made it safe to reopen.
Eleven inbound flights were diverted to other airports during the latest suspension and, while outbound flights would experience a "knock-on delay", none had been cancelled, she said.
However, the BBC has been contacted by people claiming their flights were cancelled.
A small number of flights due to arrive into Gatwick on Saturday were cancelled, according to the airport's website.
They include an Easyjet service from Milan and a TUI flight from Barbados.
A Gatwick spokesman said: "Safety is Gatwick's top priority and we are grateful for passengers' continued patience as we work to get them to their final destination in time for Christmas."
Have you been affected by the suspension of flights at Gatwick Airport? You can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:
WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285
Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
Send pictures/video to yourpics@bbc.co.uk
Or Upload your pictures/video here
Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100
Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy
Or use the form below
Your contact details
Name
Your E-mail address (required)
Town & Country
Your telephone number
Comments (required)
If you are happy to be contacted by a BBC journalist please leave a telephone number that we can contact you on. In some cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name as you provide it and location, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. When sending us pictures, video or eyewitness accounts at no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions.
Terms and conditions
The BBC's Privacy Policy
Related Topics
Gatwick AirportGatwickGatwick drone shutdown
Share this story About sharing
Messenger
Gatwick drones: Airport reopens after latest suspension
21 December 2018
Video Gatwick shutdown: Is this the drone that caused the chaos?
21 December 2018
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From the section Hampshire & Isle of Wight
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Thousands raised for neck-break backpacker
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