Gatwick flights resume after drone sighting caused more disruption – as it happened

With flights resuming at Gatwick, we are closing the blog but we will be back up and running if there are more drone sightings or further developments. Thanks for following our coverage.

• Flights were suspended for about an hour at 17:45 after reports of drone sightings but have now resumed.

• Gatwick airport had resumed flights at 6am on Friday after they were suspended for around 36 hours due to drone sightings on Wednesday and Thursday.

• Police are still hunting the drone operators who brought the airport to a standstill.
  

Lena Balbek, 38, a project manager from Kiev who was visiting an agency in London, has been trying to return home since Thursday.

She said her flight with Ukraine International Airlines was rescheduled for 7pm today but it had now been pushed back until 10pm.

Balbek is philosophical about the experience.

These things happen. You don’t have insurance for such things, it could happen.

The wellbeing as passengers is the most important. I trust the security to do whatever they have to do.

Balbek added she paid for a hotel on Thursday night and did not expect to recover the costs. “I’m disappointed it’s been pushed back but we’re alive and if they tell us it’s okay, then I’ll feel safe.”

Laura Cammarata, 27, lives in London and was due to travel to Sicily with her partner Giuseppe Alia for Christmas.

She said they were booked on to a flight with Vueling on Thursday afternoon which was rescheduled for today and has since been cancelled.

Cammarata said: “We did the whole process again, we got the train, we started queuing up and at some point they said it’s cancelled again. We’re trying to rebook and they’re saying they can’t book us on.”

Alia, 28, said: “They should have some contingency to get people to other airports. I understand it’s not their fault but they should force airlines to collaborate in this situation.”

The couple said the alternative flights cost “three or four times” the £400 they paid for the flights and they were now looking at hiring a car to drive to Italy.

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21 Dec 201814.34 EST

Haroon Siddique

A friend from Rome who is supposed to be staying with us tonight in London took off while Gatwick was open but was then diverted to Bournemouth when the airport was closed while her BA flight was en route.

However, after arriving in Bournemouth, while she was trying to work out how she would get to London, the passengers were told the airport had reopened and, once the plane was refuelled, they would be departing for Gatwick.

There must be many people going through a similar - and undoubtedly worse in many cases - emotional rollercoaster. She said the BA staff were very professional throughout, which is good to hear.

Lord Ashcroft is offering a £10,000 reward for information relating to the arrest and charge of the drone operators.

21 Dec 201814.17 EST

Helena Smith

In Europe, the ripple effects of the disruption are clearly easing despite tonight’s temporary suspension at Gatwick with EasyJet declaring its flight out of Athens has only been delayed by 37 minutes this evening.

The airline however is still insisting that passengers arrive at gates at “scheduled departure time.”

Still, it is an improvement on yesterday when the company insisted that all passengers turn up on time for the midday Athens-Gatwick flight even after hundreds had already been cancelled in the UK following the sightings of the dastardly drones.

Passengers are still advised to check with their airline before heading to Gatwick despite flights resuming

One passenger is edging closer to home for Christmas..

ProfHitoshi Nasu, an expert in international law and new technologies from the University of Exeter law school, said criminalisation may not be enough to deter rogue drone operators.

This demonstrates the disruptive potential of drones and difficulties in identifying malicious operators. Criminalising the conduct may not be sufficient deterrence.

It is a wake-up call for us to step up the efforts to protect ourselves from malicious use of drone technology. This could include technological solutions, regulatory measures such as registration and permit requirement, or the use of physical force.

I am sure police will be looking at all the options available and considering what needs to be done.

EasyJet is continuing to advise travellers to check their flight status before making the journey to Gatwick.