Gatwick Airport staff praised after drones cause travel chaos

All flight arrivals and departures are currently suspended from Gatwick Airport

A woman who was meant to be flying home to see her parents for Christmas has praised Gatwick Airport staff after drones caused travel chaos at the airport.

Flights at Gatwick have been cancelled and heavily disrupted since yesterday evening after drones were spotted being flown in the vicinity of the airfield.

Kate Burns has been at the airport since 6.30am and had her flight to Dubai cancelled. She was due to be flying to spend Christmas with her parents at her family home but has now had her flight moved to Heathrow by Emirates.

She said although her morning had been frustrating it was others - especially those with children - unsure of when they would be flying that she felt most sorry for.

She said: “There’s queues and queues of hopeful people hoping that this queue is going to be the right queue to get them on a plane.

“It’s been horrible watching families on their way to Disney Land Florida who won’t be going holiday (right) now which is very very sad.”

Kate’s flight has now been moved to tomorrow morning and she still expects to be home in time for Christmas.

She said most people were now being seen by their respective airlines and she praised the work of staff at the airport in attempting to control the situation.

She said: “The staff have been amazing. There’s nothing that the airport can do.

Police are still investigating the incident and disruption is still being reported.