London Gatwick ‘open and operating normally’ after PETA protestors descend on airport

PETA supporters dressed in uniforms representing travel companies that have cut ties with marine parks – including easyJet, Jet2 and British Airways – descended on the TUI check-in counter on Thursday (August 21) to demand an end to its support of marine parks.

The animal defenders urged travellers to choose orca-friendly airlines instead of TUI, the UK’s last remaining major travel provider selling tickets to SeaWorld and Loro Parque.

PETA vice-president of programmes Elisa Allen said: “It’s shameful that TUI is still selling holiday packages to cruel marine parks, where orcas are denied any semblance of a natural life and forced to spend their days in cramped, chemically treated tanks.

“PETA is calling on TUI to follow the lead of every other major travel company in the UK and stop propping up wretched orca prisons.”

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “London Gatwick is open and operating normally today. There were a small number of protestors at the airport this morning who have since left the premises. Safety and security remains our top priority.”

In nature, orcas live in complex matrilineal societies, work cooperatively to find food, and can travel up to 150 miles in a single day.

But at sites like Seaworld and Loro Parque, orcas and other dolphins and whales are confined to tiny concrete pools where they languish in the blazing sun, swim in endless circles, and fend off attacks from their stressed tank mates.

In recent months, PETA has protested outside of TUI stores in Manchester, Cardiff, and Southampton, and crashed travel events in London and Madrid.

Award-winning actor Robert Lindsay also contacted TUI – along with over 500,000 PETA entity supporters – urging the company to drop marine parks from its itineraries.

TUI have been contacted for comment.