UK heatwave: Record-breaking heat ‘has not caused any issues’ at Gatwick Airport

At 11.47am this (Tuesday, July 19) morning, the temperature reached 39.1°C in neighbouring village Charlwood, surpassing the previous national record of 38.7°C set at Cambridge Botanic Garden in 2019.

Temperatures in the UK have since topped 40°C, with a recording of 40.2°C taken at Heathrow Airport at 12.50pm today, according to early Met Office data.

A spokesperson from Gatwick Airport said: “The current heat conditions have not caused any issues on the airport’s runway or airfield, nor have they caused any flights to be impacted.

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“In terms of mitigation measures, we continue to regularly assess our runway and airfield infrastructure to ensure safety and compliance of the airport operation.”

Flights were suspended at Luton Airport due to a runway defect caused by Monday (July 18)’s high temperatures.

The damage occurred as the Met Office issued the first-ever red extreme heat warning for the UK.

A Luton Airport spokesperson said flights had been temporarily suspended "to allow for an essential runway repair after high surface temperatures caused a small section to lift".