A number of flights were diverted from Gatwick Airport after a British Airways plane temporarily blocked one of its runways following a technical issue. Emergency services met the aircraft as a precaution upon landing, with reports indicating a landing gear problem. The plane landed safely, and passengers disembarked normally, according to BA.
One of the diverted flights—an EasyJet service from Rome to Gatwick—was forced to land at Stansted airport instead. Already delayed, the aircraft then became stuck at Stansted because it could not find fuel. Passengers were left on the plane for over two hours in the middle of the night before finally disembarking.
A London Gatwick spokesperson said: "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."
EasyJet apologized "for the inconvenience caused by the diversion and delay in disembarking" and noted that since no ground handling staff were available for the unscheduled arrival, the aircraft could not refuel. Passengers were advised they would be reimbursed for onward travel.
Meanwhile, other arrivals and departures at Gatwick saw delays on Wednesday, though it was unclear if they were linked to the runway closure.