Staff shortage caused by a Covid outbreak has forced London’s second-busiest Gatwick Airport to cancel scores of flights and limit operations till Sunday.

Around 30 per cent of the staff of air traffic control is not working as they are down with Covid infection.

In a statement late Monday, the airport said a daily 800-flight limit, including both arrivals and departures, has been imposed until Sunday.

It said the daily cap will prevent last-minute cancellations and delays for passengers while National Air Traffic Services (NATS) gets back to normal.

The airport’s chief executive, Stewart Wingate, said the decision “means we can prevent as much disruptions as possible.”

<h2>Passengers affected&nbsp;</h2>

“The reason that we are doing this is to provide as much certainty as we can, not only to the airlines but most importantly to the passengers who will travel this week, that the flights that remain scheduled will actually operate," Wingate said.

Around 33 departure flights stand cancelled—the largest ever—for Friday (Sept 29), it added.

NATS issued an apology to passengers saying that the decision was taken due to a variety of medical reasons and that it can't manage the normal flows in and out of the airport.

Among the affected airlines include Easyjet, BA and Ryanair

<h2>Airline operators seek improvement&nbsp;</h2>

Johan Lundgren, chief executive officer of EasyJet said that it is "regrettable that a temporary limit on capacity at Gatwick Airport is required".

It is “the right action by the airport so on-the-day cancellations and delays can be avoided”, he said, adding that Gatwick Airport needs to work on a longer-term plan to improve the resilience of the air traffic service.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/poland-edu-min-takes-action-to-extradite-nazi-veteran-honoured-in-canadian-parliament-639985">Poland education minister working to extradite Nazi veteran honoured in Canadian Parliament</a>

Though the COVID-19-related restrictions in Britain were lifted last year, people are advised to stay away from work if they have tested positive for the virus.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadian-enforcement-officials-deny-report-over-delay-in-nijjar-death-probe-640023">Canadian enforcement officials deny report over delay in Nijjar death probe</a>

It comes weeks after NATS witnessed a massive data glitch, triggering widespread disruption of airlines and leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The British aviation regulator is yet to launch a probe to determine why the country's air traffic control system suddenly collapsed.

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Staff shortage caused by a Covid outbreak has forced London’s second-busiest Gatwick Airport to cancel scores of flights and limit operations till Sunday. Around 30 per cent of the staff of air traffic control is not working as they are down with Covid infection.

Staff shortage caused by a Covid outbreak has forced London’s second-busiest Gatwick Airport to cancel scores of flights and limit operations till Sunday. Around 30 per cent of the staff of air traffic control is not working as they are down with Covid infection. In a statement late Monday, the airport said a daily 800-flight limit, including both arrivals and departures, has been imposed until Sunday. It said the daily cap will prevent last-minute cancellations and delays for passengers while National Air Traffic Services (NATS) gets back to normal. The airport’s chief executive, Stewart Wingate, said the decision “means we can prevent as much disruptions as possible.” Passengers affected “The reason that we are doing this is to provide as much certainty as we can, not only to the airlines but most importantly to the passengers who will travel this week, that the flights that remain scheduled will actually operate," Wingate said. Around 33 departure flights stand cancelled—the largest ever—for Friday (Sept 29), it added. NATS issued an apology to passengers saying that the decision was taken due to a variety of medical reasons and that it can't manage the normal flows in and out of the airport. Among the affected airlines include Easyjet, BA and Ryanair Airline operators seek improvement Johan Lundgren, chief executive officer of EasyJet said that it is "regrettable that a temporary limit on capacity at Gatwick Airport is required". It is “the right action by the airport so on-the-day cancellations and delays can be avoided”, he said, adding that Gatwick Airport needs to work on a longer-term plan to improve the resilience of the air traffic service. Also read | Poland education minister working to extradite Nazi veteran honoured in Canadian Parliament Though the COVID-19-related restrictions in Britain were lifted last year, people are advised to stay away from work if they have tested positive for the virus. Also read | Canadian enforcement officials deny report over delay in Nijjar death probe It comes weeks after NATS witnessed a massive data glitch, triggering widespread disruption of airlines and leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The British aviation regulator is yet to launch a probe to determine why the country's air traffic control system suddenly collapsed. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

London’s second-busiest Gatwick Airport limits flight operations due to Covid outbreak

Thousands of passengers faced diversions, delays and even cancellations at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom after a "short-notice staff absence" led to disruption on Thursday (September 14).&nbsp;

The shortage of air traffic controllers led to 22 cancellations as of 10:00pm (BST), Gatwick confirmed. According to the website FlightRadar24, hundreds of flights were delayed. The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) was sorry over its staffing shortages and Gatwick Airport said it expected a normal service on Friday.&nbsp;

People were impacted due to the staff issue as some flights of the travellers were from far away places. As quoted by EURO News, one passenger said on social media platform X that they had "landed at Heathrow airport, supposed to go Gatwick" and were stuck on the runway for an hour after landing, without any information.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-union-slaps-tiktok-with-fine-of-369mn-over-child-data-636319">European Union slaps TikTok with fine of $369mn over child data breaches</a>&nbsp;

One passenger complained on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they had "landed at Heathrow airport, supposed to go Gatwick" and had been stuck on the runway for an hour after landing.&nbsp;

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary asked the NATS boss to step down and the EasyJet was angry over the delays and cancellations. As quoted by UK media outlets, O'Leary said: "It is unacceptable that more flights and hundreds of passengers are suffering delays to/from Gatwick Airport due to Nats CEO, Martin Rolfe's blatant failure to adequately staff UK ATC."

"Airlines are paying millions of pounds to Nats each and every year and should not have to see their passengers suffer avoidable delays due to UK ATC staff shortages," O'Leary added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-rishi-sunak-vows-action-after-man-dies-in-dog-attack-orders-ban-on-american-xl-bully-breed-636321">UK PM Rishi Sunak vows action after man dies in dog attack, orders ban on American XL bully breed</a>&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Indigo to build tool that tests fatigue among pilots; working with Thales on the tool&nbsp;

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<h2>Recent issue with UK airspace&nbsp;</h2>

This comes just a few days after flights using UK airspace were delayed or cancelled for several hours towards the end of August 28 due to what Britain's NATS said was a technical issue that it had now identified and remedied. Around 2,000 flights are being cancelled across the UK.&nbsp;

NATS had earlier had to restrict the flow of aircraft and manually input flight plans after the issue affected its system's ability to automatically process flight plans, with airlines and airports warning of delays and cancellations across Europe.&nbsp;

During August's chaos, a spokesperson for London Heathrow said the airport was working with NATS and other airport partners to minimise the impact on passengers, while Gatwick, south of London, said it was seeing multiple delays and cancellations.&nbsp;

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Thousands of passengers faced diversions, delays and even cancellations at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom after a "short-notice staff absence" led to disruption on Thursday (September 14).

Thousands of passengers faced diversions, delays and even cancellations at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom after a "short-notice staff absence" led to disruption on Thursday (September 14). The shortage of air traffic controllers led to 22 cancellations as of 10:00pm (BST), Gatwick confirmed. According to the website FlightRadar24, hundreds of flights were delayed. The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) was sorry over its staffing shortages and Gatwick Airport said it expected a normal service on Friday. People were impacted due to the staff issue as some flights of the travellers were from far away places. As quoted by EURO News, one passenger said on social media platform X that they had "landed at Heathrow airport, supposed to go Gatwick" and were stuck on the runway for an hour after landing, without any information. Also read: European Union slaps TikTok with fine of $369mn over child data breaches One passenger complained on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they had "landed at Heathrow airport, supposed to go Gatwick" and had been stuck on the runway for an hour after landing. Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary asked the NATS boss to step down and the EasyJet was angry over the delays and cancellations. As quoted by UK media outlets, O'Leary said: "It is unacceptable that more flights and hundreds of passengers are suffering delays to/from Gatwick Airport due to Nats CEO, Martin Rolfe's blatant failure to adequately staff UK ATC." "Airlines are paying millions of pounds to Nats each and every year and should not have to see their passengers suffer avoidable delays due to UK ATC staff shortages," O'Leary added. Also read: UK PM Rishi Sunak vows action after man dies in dog attack, orders ban on American XL bully breed Watch: Indigo to build tool that tests fatigue among pilots; working with Thales on the tool × Recent issue with UK airspace This comes just a few days after flights using UK airspace were delayed or cancelled for several hours towards the end of August 28 due to what Britain's NATS said was a technical issue that it had now identified and remedied. Around 2,000 flights are being cancelled across the UK. NATS had earlier had to restrict the flow of aircraft and manually input flight plans after the issue affected its system's ability to automatically process flight plans, with airlines and airports warning of delays and cancellations across Europe. During August's chaos, a spokesperson for London Heathrow said the airport was working with NATS and other airport partners to minimise the impact on passengers, while Gatwick, south of London, said it was seeing multiple delays and cancellations. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Gatwick Airport: Short-notice staff absence caused diversions, delays, cancellations of flights

In the United Kingdom, the travel plans of thousands of travellers are set to be affected as nearly a thousand airport workers at Gatwick Airport in England strike over pay issues.

On Friday, the trade union Unite announced that almost a thousand airport workers at four firms will strike for a period of eight days, during what is slated to be the busiest summer period since the coronavirus pandemic.

<h2>The looming strike</h2>

Airport workers, including baggage handlers and ground staff, will begin the strike from Friday, July 28th. The first strike will last till Tuesday, August 1st. Following this, they will once again strike from Friday, August 4th to Tuesday, August 8th.

The strike will affect multiple airlines including the British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui, Westjet and Wizz, said the union.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-junior-doctors-begin-longest-single-walkout-in-nhss-history-over-pay-issues-615098">Thousands of UK doctors begin ‘longest walkout’ in NHS history over pay issues</a>

Around 950 airport workers working at four firms — ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services — provide many services including baggage handling, ground handling and check-in work, to the above-mentioned major airlines.

<h2>How will it affect travel</h2>

As per Unite, disruptions, delays and cancellations were "inevitable". Right now, the strike is planned but can be avoided.

BBC reports that if it does go ahead, the strike will put pressure on the aviation industry as it deals with potential air traffic control strikes and restricted airspace over Ukraine due to the ongoing Ukraine war.

The union has been pushing for a pay rise for its members for months. In June, Unite had previously called off strike action by security staff at the Heathrow Airport which happens to be Britain's busiest airport, after securing a new deal.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-sag-aftra-negotiating-committee-unanimously-votes-strike-as-talks-fall-615055">SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee unanimously votes for strike as talks fail</a>

As per Unite, "despite undertaking highly demanding and safety critical roles" most of the workers are paid under £12 ($15.74) per hour.

Furthermore, during the pandemic, many companies at Gatwick Airport "made large-scale redundancies and cut the pay and conditions of their remaining staff."

<h2>Lasting issue: Other strikes by airport staff</h2>

From July 18th, around 100 airport security staff and technicians at the Birmingham Airport are set to walk off.

In Italy, an air traffic strike is planned to start July 15th, which Ryanair Airlines as per BBC said is expected to cause cancellations and disruptions.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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In the United Kingdom, the travel plans of thousands of travellers are set to be affected as nearly a thousand airport workers at Gatwick Airport in England strike over pay issues.

In the United Kingdom, the travel plans of thousands of travellers are set to be affected as nearly a thousand airport workers at Gatwick Airport in England strike over pay issues. On Friday, the trade union Unite announced that almost a thousand airport workers at four firms will strike for a period of eight days, during what is slated to be the busiest summer period since the coronavirus pandemic. The looming strike Airport workers, including baggage handlers and ground staff, will begin the strike from Friday, July 28th. The first strike will last till Tuesday, August 1st. Following this, they will once again strike from Friday, August 4th to Tuesday, August 8th. The strike will affect multiple airlines including the British Airways, EasyJet, Ryanair, Tui, Westjet and Wizz, said the union. Also read | Thousands of UK doctors begin ‘longest walkout’ in NHS history over pay issues Around 950 airport workers working at four firms — ASC, Menzies Aviation, GGS and DHL Services — provide many services including baggage handling, ground handling and check-in work, to the above-mentioned major airlines. How will it affect travel As per Unite, disruptions, delays and cancellations were "inevitable". Right now, the strike is planned but can be avoided. BBC reports that if it does go ahead, the strike will put pressure on the aviation industry as it deals with potential air traffic control strikes and restricted airspace over Ukraine due to the ongoing Ukraine war. The union has been pushing for a pay rise for its members for months. In June, Unite had previously called off strike action by security staff at the Heathrow Airport which happens to be Britain's busiest airport, after securing a new deal. Also read | SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee unanimously votes for strike as talks fail As per Unite, "despite undertaking highly demanding and safety critical roles" most of the workers are paid under £12 ($15.74) per hour. Furthermore, during the pandemic, many companies at Gatwick Airport "made large-scale redundancies and cut the pay and conditions of their remaining staff." Lasting issue: Other strikes by airport staff From July 18th, around 100 airport security staff and technicians at the Birmingham Airport are set to walk off. In Italy, an air traffic strike is planned to start July 15th, which Ryanair Airlines as per BBC said is expected to cause cancellations and disruptions. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UK: Pay issues strike again, 950 ground workers at Gatwick airport set to stage eight-day protest

Flights from London's <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/london-2-arrested-in-connection-with-gatwick-airport-drone-disruption-185743">Heathrow airport were halted</a> for about an hour on Tuesday after a drone was sighted near Europe's busiest air hub, raising fears that the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale.

"We are responding to a drone<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/video-gatwick-airport-in-london-reopens-for-limited-flights-after-drone-scare-185635"> sighting at Heathrow," the airport</a> said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

London's Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of a drone near the airport at about 1705 GMT on Tuesday, which they were investigating with airport authorities.

It said police officers were among those who reported seeing a drone and it had launched a full criminal investigation.

The airport confirmed about an hour later that take-offs had resumed. Flight tracker websites showed flights departing from 1811 GMT.

A witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off before being later told that things were starting to move.

London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Gatwick's drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world.

The British army was forced to deploy military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly.

Police said they were carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone.

"We are deploying significant resources - both in terms of officers and equipment - to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity; some of which are as a result of learning from the incidents at Gatwick," police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement.

He said military assistance has been implemented after the sighting but he would not give any further details as it could undermine the effectiveness of the measures.

British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had been in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting.

"I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary," he said.

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology.

Heathrow said it was working closely with authorities including the police and looking at relevant technology to combat the threat of drones. 
&nbsp;

Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour on Tuesday after a drone was sighted near Europe's busiest air hub, raising fears that the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale.

Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour on Tuesday after a drone was sighted near Europe's busiest air hub, raising fears that the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale. "We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow," the airport said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause." London's Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of a drone near the airport at about 1705 GMT on Tuesday, which they were investigating with airport authorities. It said police officers were among those who reported seeing a drone and it had launched a full criminal investigation. The airport confirmed about an hour later that take-offs had resumed. Flight tracker websites showed flights departing from 1811 GMT. A witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off before being later told that things were starting to move. London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers. Gatwick's drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world. The British army was forced to deploy military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly. Police said they were carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone. "We are deploying significant resources - both in terms of officers and equipment - to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity; some of which are as a result of learning from the incidents at Gatwick," police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement. He said military assistance has been implemented after the sighting but he would not give any further details as it could undermine the effectiveness of the measures. British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had been in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting. "I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary," he said. Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology. Heathrow said it was working closely with authorities including the police and looking at relevant technology to combat the threat of drones.

Heathrow airport closed for 1 hour over drone sighting

French conglomerate Vinci said Thursday it had bought control of Gatwick airport, Britain's second-busiest, for nearly three billion pounds only months before Brexit.

Vinci said it will own a 50.01 per cent stake in Gatwick thanks to the deal worth £2.9 billion ($3.7 billion, 3.2 billion euros) by the end of June.

Gatwick made headlines last week when it closed its runway repeatedly due to reports of mystery drone sightings nearby, impacting nearly 140,000 passengers.

The French purchase of Gatwick, which is Europe's eight-biggest airport and runs the busiest single runway in the world, comes ahead of Britain's departure from the European Union on March 29.

The proximity of Brexit "probably helped us close the deal", Nicolas Notebaert, Vinci Airports chief, told a telephone conference.

The absence of a Brexit deal with the EU could cause major air travel problems as both sides would no longer recognise each other's aviation safety standards.

London and other EU capitals are, however, working on special permissions to allow European carriers to keep flying even if no overall air travel deal is struck by that date.

Best known for motorways

Vinci is best-known for being one of the world's biggest construction companies, employing close to 200,000 people across the globe, and for operating motorways in France.

But the company has also been buying up airports -- most recently in Brazil, Japan and Serbia -- making it "a top 5 global player in the international airport sector", according to a statement by Gatwick. One of its best-known airports is the hub of Portugal's capital Lisbon.

With the latest acquisition, Vinci Airports will control 46 airports in 12 countries with total traffic of 228 million passengers a year.

Gatwick, which in Britain is second only to Heathrow, will become the biggest airport in Vinci's portfolio, making the purchase "a major strategic move", the French company said.

"The transaction represents a rare opportunity to acquire an airport of such size and quality and fits extremely well with Vinci Concessions' long-term investment horizon," it said.

Gatwick's CEO Stewart Wingate said there would be no management or operational changes to the "immediate" running of the airport.

He said the deal would mean "continuity but also further investment for passengers".

A runway record

Global Infrastructure Partners, the current owners of Gatwick, will hold on to 49.99 per cent in the airport.

Gatwick's only runway hit a world record of 950 flights in a day in 2017, Vinci said.

"The airport constantly innovates in all areas of operations (for example passenger self-baggage drop, aircraft queuing systems, parking products) and reaches very high level of operational efficiency," it said.

Some 24,000 people work for Gatwick which is used by around 50 airlines and offers more domestic destinations than any other British airport.

Gatwick is also low-cost carrier EasyJet's biggest hub.

The British government in 2016 rejected a plan to build a second runway at Gatwick airport, which is situated south of London, opting instead for a third runway at Heathrow.

On Thursday, Gatwick said it had taken steps to protect the airport from disruptions like the one caused by drone sightings last week which created travel chaos for more than 120,000 people in the run-up to Christmas.

"I know this unprecedented criminal activity caused huge inconvenience to thousands of people," said Wingate.

"Gatwick itself has taken a number of important steps in recent days which will make a significant difference to the airport’s resilience," he said.

Stock market investors seemed to welcome the operation, with Vinci's share price rising 0.3 per cent to 70.72 euros in mid-afternoon Paris trading, outperforming the overall CAC-40 bourse index which was down 0.3 per cent at that time. 
&nbsp;

Vinci said it will own a 50.01 per cent stake in Gatwick thanks to the deal worth £2.9 billion ($3.7 billion, 3.2 billion euros) by the end of June.

French conglomerate Vinci said Thursday it had bought control of Gatwick airport, Britain's second-busiest, for nearly three billion pounds only months before Brexit. Vinci said it will own a 50.01 per cent stake in Gatwick thanks to the deal worth £2.9 billion ($3.7 billion, 3.2 billion euros) by the end of June. Gatwick made headlines last week when it closed its runway repeatedly due to reports of mystery drone sightings nearby, impacting nearly 140,000 passengers. The French purchase of Gatwick, which is Europe's eight-biggest airport and runs the busiest single runway in the world, comes ahead of Britain's departure from the European Union on March 29. The proximity of Brexit "probably helped us close the deal", Nicolas Notebaert, Vinci Airports chief, told a telephone conference. The absence of a Brexit deal with the EU could cause major air travel problems as both sides would no longer recognise each other's aviation safety standards. London and other EU capitals are, however, working on special permissions to allow European carriers to keep flying even if no overall air travel deal is struck by that date. Best known for motorways Vinci is best-known for being one of the world's biggest construction companies, employing close to 200,000 people across the globe, and for operating motorways in France. But the company has also been buying up airports -- most recently in Brazil, Japan and Serbia -- making it "a top 5 global player in the international airport sector", according to a statement by Gatwick. One of its best-known airports is the hub of Portugal's capital Lisbon. With the latest acquisition, Vinci Airports will control 46 airports in 12 countries with total traffic of 228 million passengers a year. Gatwick, which in Britain is second only to Heathrow, will become the biggest airport in Vinci's portfolio, making the purchase "a major strategic move", the French company said. "The transaction represents a rare opportunity to acquire an airport of such size and quality and fits extremely well with Vinci Concessions' long-term investment horizon," it said. Gatwick's CEO Stewart Wingate said there would be no management or operational changes to the "immediate" running of the airport. He said the deal would mean "continuity but also further investment for passengers". A runway record Global Infrastructure Partners, the current owners of Gatwick, will hold on to 49.99 per cent in the airport. Gatwick's only runway hit a world record of 950 flights in a day in 2017, Vinci said. "The airport constantly innovates in all areas of operations (for example passenger self-baggage drop, aircraft queuing systems, parking products) and reaches very high level of operational efficiency," it said. Some 24,000 people work for Gatwick which is used by around 50 airlines and offers more domestic destinations than any other British airport. Gatwick is also low-cost carrier EasyJet's biggest hub. The British government in 2016 rejected a plan to build a second runway at Gatwick airport, which is situated south of London, opting instead for a third runway at Heathrow. On Thursday, Gatwick said it had taken steps to protect the airport from disruptions like the one caused by drone sightings last week which created travel chaos for more than 120,000 people in the run-up to Christmas. "I know this unprecedented criminal activity caused huge inconvenience to thousands of people," said Wingate. "Gatwick itself has taken a number of important steps in recent days which will make a significant difference to the airport’s resilience," he said. Stock market investors seemed to welcome the operation, with Vinci's share price rising 0.3 per cent to 70.72 euros in mid-afternoon Paris trading, outperforming the overall CAC-40 bourse index which was down 0.3 per cent at that time.

London's Gatwick airport sold to French Vinci conglomerate

Gatwick: Two arrested over drone sighting

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the <a href="http://13.232.42.114/world/army-joins-drone-hunt-after-london-airport-shutdown-185599">country's second biggest airport was closed</a> due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace.

"I feel for all those passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by this drone activity and the action that's had to be taken in response to it," the British prime minister said, adding,"w've already passed legislation in relation to the use of drones, the activity we've seen is illegal and those who are caught endangering aircraft can face up to five years in prison."

"We're consulting on further aspects of this, including further police powers," May said.

As thousands of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/flights-grounded-at-britains-gatwick-airport-over-drone-sighting-185467">passengers waited at Gatwick Airport</a>, south of London, police hunted unsuccessfully for the operators of the large drones, which reappeared near the airfield every time the airport tried to reopen the runway.

Police said there was no indication of a terrorist motive behind the devices, which first appeared on Wednesday night.&nbsp;Britain sent troops to its second-biggest airport after an unprecedented attempt to cripple Christmas travel with large drones forced all flights to be cancelled on Thursday.

"The assessment earlier on today was that we wouldn't be using firearms," detective chief superintendent Jason Tingley said late on Thursday. "This is continually reviewed so you will know and have seen that we have firearm officers deployed."

Europe's air traffic control agency Eurocontrol said the airport would remain closed until 0600 GMT on Friday.

The armed forces were also deployed to help resolve the situation.

"We are there to assist and do everything we can," defence minister Gavin Williamson told reporters.

Drones were seen as recently as the last hour, a Gatwick spokesman said at about 2200 GMT on Thursday, more than 24 hours after their first sighting.

The airport said flights would remain shut down for the rest of the evening on a day when 115,000 people were scheduled to pass through, many en route to seasonal breaks.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the country's second biggest airport was closed due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that police powers over the flying of drones could be extended after the country's second biggest airport was closed due to unknown operators flying the devices within its airspace. "I feel for all those passengers whose travel plans have been disrupted by this drone activity and the action that's had to be taken in response to it," the British prime minister said, adding,"w've already passed legislation in relation to the use of drones, the activity we've seen is illegal and those who are caught endangering aircraft can face up to five years in prison." "We're consulting on further aspects of this, including further police powers," May said. As thousands of passengers waited at Gatwick Airport, south of London, police hunted unsuccessfully for the operators of the large drones, which reappeared near the airfield every time the airport tried to reopen the runway. Police said there was no indication of a terrorist motive behind the devices, which first appeared on Wednesday night. Britain sent troops to its second-biggest airport after an unprecedented attempt to cripple Christmas travel with large drones forced all flights to be cancelled on Thursday. "The assessment earlier on today was that we wouldn't be using firearms," detective chief superintendent Jason Tingley said late on Thursday. "This is continually reviewed so you will know and have seen that we have firearm officers deployed." Europe's air traffic control agency Eurocontrol said the airport would remain closed until 0600 GMT on Friday. The armed forces were also deployed to help resolve the situation. "We are there to assist and do everything we can," defence minister Gavin Williamson told reporters. Drones were seen as recently as the last hour, a Gatwick spokesman said at about 2200 GMT on Thursday, more than 24 hours after their first sighting. The airport said flights would remain shut down for the rest of the evening on a day when 115,000 people were scheduled to pass through, many en route to seasonal breaks.

Watch: Police power may be increased to combat drone activity, says PM Theresa May after Gatwick airport shutdown

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