Slashdot Mirror


Over 110,000 Passengers on 760 Flights Disrupted by Drones Flying Over One of the UK's Busiest Airports (bbc.com)

Gatwick's runway has been shut since Wednesday night, when two devices were seen flying over the perimeter fence. The airport said at about 12:00 GMT on Thursday a drone had been spotted "in the last hour" and the runway would not open "until it was safe to do so". From a report: About 110,000 passengers on 760 flights were due to fly on Thursday. Disruption could last "several days". Those due to travel have been told to check the status of their flight, while Easyjet told its passengers not to go to Gatwick if their flights have been cancelled. Sussex Police said it was not terror-related but a "deliberate act" of disruption, describing the drones as of "industrial specification". The shutdown started just after 21:00 GMT on Wednesday, when two drones were spotted flying "over the perimeter fence and into where the runway operates from". The runway briefly reopened at 03:01 but was closed again about 45 minutes later amid "a further sighting of drones".

2 of 196 comments (clear)

  1. Forcing the hammer to drop by BlacKSacrificE · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Sounds like someone trying to force the regulators hand. What better way to prompt regulation than fucking with the second largest airport in the UK at one of the busiest times of the year.

    --
    [Sorry, this signature is unavailable in your country/region]
    1. Re:Forcing the hammer to drop by serviscope_minor · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Sounds like someone trying to force the regulators hand.

      I think probably not. I mean it could be but on the one hand you've got someone being machevellian, on the other hand yu have a stupid action from a colossal army of fuckwits. My money is on the fuckwits, personally.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.