Travellers are compelled to sleep in Gatwick in a single day after they’re stranded amid flights chaos – with journeys cancelled, delayed or diverted on the last-minute amid air visitors management employees shortages

Travellers have been compelled to mattress down for the evening on the ground of Gatwick airport because of a scarcity of employees in air visitors management which triggered dozens of flights to be delayed, cancelled and diverted. 

Air visitors management restrictions have been put in place following a brief discover employees absence that impacted the London airport’s air visitors management workforce, the Nationwide Air Site visitors Companies (Nats) claimed final evening. 

This meant dozens of arrivals and departures have been affected, with passengers being suggested to contact their airline previous to travelling. 

Holidaymakers declare that that they had minimal info from airways through the night and evening and have been left to fend for themselves within the empty terminals after lodges have been booked up. 

Chatting with ITV, passenger Caroline Monks criticised the airport for the way in which the scenario had been dealt with. 

Travellers have been compelled to mattress down for the evening on the ground of Gatwick airport

Holidaymaker Caroline Monks fears she’s going to now lose her vacation as a result of cancellations 

Sarah Burham (proper) was compelled to sleep within the terminal in a single day following the flight cancellations 

‘Our entire vacation might be cancelled’, she mentioned, ‘we might be dropping our entire vacation if we will not get one other flight.’ 

Debbie Barrett agreed including it was ‘disgusting’ the way in which passengers had been handled. 

Sarah Burnham mentioned: ‘We could not discover wherever to sleep so we determined simply to remain right here.’ 

The air visitors management scenario not solely meant that some flights could not take off from Gatwick however that many could not land. 

This meant that drained vacationers set to the touch down on the airport the place diverted to websites throughout the nation with one combat being diverted to Brussels while over the English Channel. 

Sally Richards was on the diverted flight and mentioned: ‘Simply as we have been crossing the Channel we have been instructed that they had acquired a message saying Gatwick was closed and so they had no thought why. 

‘We have again to Britain and it appears like Britain is solely not working.’ 

traveller complained on X, previously often known as Twitter, that Gatwick has travellers ‘standing exterior within the chilly for the final hour ready on a coach for a Ryanair flight in Stansted’.

One other complained of lengthy queues on the Border Power checkpoint within the south terminal. 

One passenger even claimed {that a} flight had been diverted to Bournemouth airport, which is greater than 100 miles away from Gatwick. 

‘We apologise very sincerely to individuals who have been inconvenienced [as a result of unavoidable diversions,’ a Nats spokesperson said in a statement.

‘We are working closely with Gatwick Airport Ltd to build resilience in the airport’s control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.’

Nats has been recruiting new air traffic controllers since last summer and has increased its presence by 17 per cent, the agency claimed.

Other workers are due to start after completing their training, in line with the agreed plan when the agency took over the contract last October.

Dozens of arrivals and departures were affected, with passengers being advised to contact their airline prior to travelling

Travellers faced widespread disruption last month after the air traffic control system was hit by a technical glitch. Disrupted passengers are pictured at Belfast Airport on August 28

More than a quarter of flights to and from UK airports were cancelled that day, affecting around 250,000 people. Pictured: Disrupted travellers at Gatwick Airport on August 29

‘London Gatwick’s senior management understands that we are working hard to keep the operation moving,’ the spokesperson added. 

‘Airlines operating at London Gatwick were aware of the situation when Nats was appointed but that does not dilute the apology we offer sincerely to them and their passengers who have been inconvenienced by recent disruption.’

Gatwick has apologised for the situation, adding in a statement: ‘Nats are a world-class provider of air traffic services and London Gatwick’s senior management recognises how hard the airport’s air traffic controllers are working to keep the operation moving.

‘We are working closely with Nats to build resilience in the airport’s control tower to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.’

Travellers faced widespread disruption last month after the air traffic control system was hit by a technical glitch on August 28. More than a quarter of flights to and from UK airports were cancelled that day, affecting around 250,000 people.

Cancellations continued for two more days as planes and crews were out of position.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary told the BBC: ‘It is unacceptable that more flights and hundreds of passengers are suffering delays to/from Gatwick Airport due to Nats CEO Martin Rolfe’s blatant failure to adequately staff UK ATC.

Cancellations continued for two more days as planes and crews were out of position. Passengers are pictured waiting at Stansted Airport on August 29

‘Airlines are paying millions of pounds to Nats each and every year and should not have to see their passengers suffer avoidable delays due to UK ATC staff shortages.’

Rory Boland, of consumer group Which?, said: ‘It is unacceptable that some Gatwick passengers have been hit by further air traffic control problems so soon after the chaos a few weeks ago.

‘This is not an issue caused by airlines, but they must meet their legal obligations to look after passengers and provide them with support during delays and help with refunds and rerouting – including with other carriers if necessary.

‘To help end this cycle of miserable passenger experiences, the Prime Minister must play his part and prioritise legislation to give the CAA stronger enforcement powers in the King’s Speech later this year.’