Thousands of passengers hit by flight cancellations and delays at Gatwick Airport after plane issue with ‘hot brakes’

28 June 2024, 15:19 | Updated: 28 June 2024, 15:29

Passengers at Gatwick Airport have reported huge delays and cancellations after a plane held up the main runway due to having 'hot brakes'.

The main runway at the airport was shut for 50 minutes due to an issue with ‘hot brakes’ on the affected plane - the BA2279 flight to Vancouver.

Gatwick Airport said in a statement that 16 inbound flights were diverted and a further 23 were cancelled due to the knock-on effects of the incident.

Flightradar24 reported the closure of the runway at 12.53pm due to the incident and stated at 1.14pm it had reopened.

The plane had to be escorted off the runway by Airport fire service vehicles, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.

While the runway has since been reopened, passengers have been hit by travel chaos due to the knock-on effects of the incident, with swathes of flights delayed and cancelled.

One passenger in Spain waiting to take off for a flight back to Gatwick wrote on X: “Gatwick airport is a bloody joke & we haven’t even left Spain yet!!

“Because of a ‘backlog’ of planes, we’ve been sitting in a plane, in València, on the tarmac since 1:30!! Nearly TWO HOURS.

“My back is killing me! It’s like being a bloody battery hen.”

Video credit: X/@strawbs5

Passengers at Gatwick Airport have been hit by huge delays following an issue with a plane on the runway

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Meanwhile, others have had their flights cancelled amid the chaos - with some not being able to find replacement flights for at least another two days.

One passenger said their flight, which was due to take off for Hamburg on Friday evening, had been cancelled with no alternative flights until Sunday.

Another reported difficulties leaving the airport site after booking themselves onto a flight at a different airport.

They wrote on X: “@Gatwick my wizzair flight to Budapest has been cancelled. I've rebooked onto a wizzair flight from Luton but I cannot get out of the airport without an escort. I was told to go to the airline desk but the queue is so long. I just need to leave, how?”

A passenger on board the plane that set off the series of issues said of the incident: “Nearing the point of take-off, a small movement laterally was felt then the plane suddenly went into an emergency stop.

“Pilots said that there was a technical issue in the cockpit.

“Fire engines came out to cool the breaks down before we were moved to a remote gate.”

One X user wrote: “Why have we never taken the kids abroad?' Because the first time we try, there's a massive delay at #Gatwick that means planes are grounded and we're going nowhere for the foreseeable  (and we've been awake since 3am).”

A London Gatwick spokesperson said on Friday: "The main runway was closed for 50 minutes today (28 June) due to a departing aircraft having hot brakes. Safety is our top priority and London Gatwick’s dedicated airport fire service swiftly attended to support the aircraft. 16 inbound flights were diverted during the closure. The runway is now open and operating as normal.

"23 flights were cancelled and there are a number of delays due to the knock-on impact. We are working with our airlines and other airport partners to minimise disruption. Passengers should contact their airlines directly for the latest flight information."

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 posted earlier on Friday: “Following what appears to be a rejected takeoff, #BA2279 is stationary on runway 26L at LGW. Aircraft cannot currently takeoff or land at Gatwick.”

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: "The main runway was closed for a short time today due to a departing aircraft having hot brakes.

"Safety is our top priority and the dedicated airport fire service swiftly attended to support the aircraft. A number of flights were diverted. The runway is now open and operating as normal."