Travel chaos at London’s Gatwick airport after terminal evacuated

Part of the UK’s second-busiest airpoort has been evacuated after police found a suspicious item in a piece of luggage.

It has created travel chaos on one of the busiest days of the week for travellers.

Most flights are delayed by anywhere between one and five hours.

Some passengers have taken to social media to say they have boarded flights that have then sat on the tarmac for upwards of an hour.

Gatwick airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport. This can be done via airline websites, apps and social media channels.

Rail and road transport around the airport is severely disrupted due to the incident.

Why was Gatwick airport evacuated?

Authorities were called to the terminal at 8.20am local time after the discovery of a “suspected prohibited item,” Sussex Police said in a statement.

“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with,” police said in a statement. “As a precaution, an EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team is being deployed to the airport.”

Are Gatwick flights cancelled and what is the advice to passengers?

Almost all departing flights from Gatwick South Terminal are delayed by at least an hour for the rest of the afternoon and into this evening.

Arrivals are also impacted, with some expected to land four hours late.

Spanish airline Vueling ordered two flights from Barcelona to Gatwick, as well as a single flight from Seville, to turn around and return to their starting points. The corresponding outbound flights to Spain will also be grounded.

It is not yet clear whether passengers will be issued with refunds if they choose not to fly. It is worth checking your travel insurance policy to see whether it covers expenses during delays.

The airport has confirmed that flights to and from the North Terminal are unaffected.

The train station serving Gatwick has also been closed, Britain’s rail network operator said. Social media posts also show the roads around the airport severely congested.

“We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” the airport said.