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Date Published: 27/09/2023

Gatwick flight disruptions due to Covid outbreak will continue until at least Oct 1

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Dozens of flights to Spain and other destinations will be cancelled or delayed

Gatwick flight disruptions due to Covid outbreak will continue until at least Oct 1

Around 25,000 passengers travelling from Gatwick Airport to Spain and other destinations are likely to have their flights cancelled in the coming days as illness among air traffic control staff has forced a reduction in traffic.

Due to a Covid outbreak, the busy aerodrome is currently operating with just 70% of the normal worker numbers and has consequently ordered airlines to cancel flights. Gatwick has now capped aircraft movements at 800 per day until at least October 1.

The health crisis was already having an impact last weekend and flights to Murcia’s Corvera Airport were delayed and axed. And on Monday September 25, Spanish airline Vueling cancelled more routes between the UK and southern Spain.

Since Gatwick is its main base, easyJet is bearing the brunt, but other carriers including BA, Ryanair, TUI and Wizz Air will undoubtedly be affected, although the budget Irish company insists it won’t cancel a single flight.

Gatwick estimates that between now and the beginning of next week, the equivalent of 82 round trips will be scratched. This is intended to the lesser of two evils though, since capping the number of operations at the airport should mean fewer last-minute schedule changes.

Stewart Wingate, CEO of London Gatwick, said: “This has been a difficult decision but the action we have taken today means our airlines can fly reliable flight programmes, which gives passengers more certainty that they will not face last minute cancellations.

Before the limit was put in place the movements expected for this week were as follows:

Tuesday: 800 flights
Wednesday: 829 flights
Thursday: 840 flights
Friday: 865 flights
Saturday: 800 flights
Sunday: 830 flights

easyJet said it was “extremely disappointed” by the disruption, which is outside of its control.

The other bad news for passengers is that they won’t be entitled to compensation if their flight is cancelled, but their airline will have to offer alternative travel.

Gatwick is hopeful that operations will return to normal next Monday.

In other news: Scottish flight forced into emergency landing in Spain after running low on fuel

Image: London Gatwick Airport

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