London’s Gatwick Airport faces a significant disruption due to scrutiny of two suspected bags from its South Terminal. The incident began around 8:20 AM GMT when airport staff discovered a “suspected prohibited item” in a passenger’s cabin baggage.
This prompted Sussex Police to establish a security cordon and order the immediate evacuation of the terminal and the adjacent railway station by approximately 10:55 AM.
The terminal has now been reopened for passengers, but there have been lots of delays and flight cancellations.
According to a statement from a spokesperson for Gatwick Airport, “There have been around 40 cancellations today following today’s disruption, out of over 240 scheduled flights.
Although thousands of stranded passengers were left waiting outside the terminal in near-freezing temperatures, many say they had no idea what was going on.
John Mather, a passenger who flew into South Terminal from Costa Rica during the closure, said, “No one seems to know what they are doing. We were then bussed to the North Terminal, where we went through immigration and collected our bags. We had no help whatsoever from the airport or security staff.”
Travellers described scenes of confusion and panic as people rushed to exit the building. One traveller recounted, “There was pandemonium in the air and everyone was rushing” as they sought information about their flights.
Authorities emphasized that safety was their top priority. In a statement on X, they said, “Safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priorities. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
As part of the response, train services to Gatwick were disrupted. Many travellers are scrambling for alternative transportation options. Some opted for taxis or walking long distances to reach the North Terminal, which remained operational.
By 2:45 PM, authorities cleared the South Terminal for reopening after bomb disposal officers declared the suspected item safe. However, this incident affected over 80 flights delayed or cancelled.
Passengers expressed their frustrations with poor communications regarding their travel plans. One British Airways passenger lamented, “Everything has been badly handled,” as they got to know about the cancellation of flights after a few hours.
This incident at Gatwick coincided with another security alert involving a controlled explosion near the U.S. Embassy in London due to a suspicious package found outside its premises.
An Embassy spokesperson said in a statement, “Local authorities are investigating a suspicious package outside the U.S. Embassy in London.
Met Police are present and have closed Ponton Road out of an abundance of caution. We will provide further updates when available.”