The Gatwick runway blockage that disrupted flights in the early hours of Thursday began when a British Airways Airbus A320 lost nose-gear steering on landing, leaving the aircraft stranded across the runway for approximately 30 minutes. At least nine other inbound flights declared emergencies as a result, according to the Times of India.
What Went Wrong on the Runway
The aircraft involved was Aviation Safety Network-identified flight BA2673, operated by British Airways on an Airbus A320-232 registered G-GATS, inbound from Palma de Mallorca. The crew reported they could not steer the nose gear after touchdown. Emergency services met the plane on the runway as a precaution.
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.’
BA confirmed the plane landed safely and that passengers disembarked normally.
The Gatwick runway blockage forced four other aircraft to divert. According to the Aviation Safety Network incident record, these were BA2591 (Verona to Gatwick, Airbus A321 G-EUXC), U28012 (Valencia to Gatwick, Airbus A320 G-EJCF), BA2703 (Tenerife South to Gatwick, Airbus A321 G-EUXF), and EasyJet flight U28330 (Rome to Gatwick, Airbus A320 G-EJCD).
Passengers Left to Fend for Themselves at Stansted
The EasyJet diversion produced the worst passenger experience of the night. Flight U28330, already delayed before the Gatwick runway blockage forced it away, was sent to Stansted, where it could not refuel. EasyJet has no fuelling arrangement with Swissport, the handler on duty there, and no ground handling staff were available for an unscheduled arrival.
Passengers sat on board for over two hours in the middle of the night before being allowed to disembark. One passenger, identified as Sammy, told the BBC she did not get home until around 06:00, with further delays in retrieving luggage compounding the wait.
EasyJet apologised ‘for the inconvenience caused by the diversion and delay in disembarking’ and said passengers ‘were advised they would be reimbursed for their onward travel.’ Those on the flight had to make their own way home and claim costs back later.
What Compensation Are Affected Passengers Entitled To
Whether affected passengers can claim depends on how the disruption is categorised. Under UK261 rules, set out by the UK Civil Aviation Authority, airlines must provide food, drink, and a means to communicate during significant delays, and accommodation if passengers are stuck overnight. Anyone delayed more than five hours may choose not to travel at all and claim a full refund.
Where a cancellation or diversion is deemed the airline’s fault, compensation levels depend on the route distance. For flights under 1,500km, passengers can claim up to £220 per person. For routes between 1,500km and 3,500km, such as the Rome to Gatwick service, the ceiling rises to £350. Flights over 3,500km carry a maximum of £520 per person.
The critical question for passengers on the diverted EasyJet flight will be whether the airline argues the original technical fault, which triggered the diversion, constitutes an extraordinary circumstance beyond its control. EasyJet’s subsequent failure to arrange fuel or ground handling at Stansted is harder to characterise that way, and that distinction could determine exactly how much of the night’s chaos passengers can ultimately recover.
