As torrential storms hit Gatwick Airport on Wednesday (August 17), dozens of flights were cancelled as passengers spent up to six hours waiting to embark and took to social media to vent their frustrations.
According to British media, many passengers received very little communication from airlines as they waited.
The rain was so severe that some parts of Victoria Station serving direct train routes to Gatwick also closed temporarily.
The Met Office had warned that 30-50mm of rain, and in excess of 100mm in a few hours, was to be expected as yellow and amber weather warnings were issued for parts of England and Wales.
In response to the complaints, Gatwick Airport said: “Air traffic control restrictions are currently in place across the South of England and parts of Europe due to poor weather conditions.”
“We are aware that some customers were unable to access our self-service tool for rebooking and arranging hotel accommodation for a short time due to a temporary technical issue, however this was quickly resolved. We are sorry for any inconvenience this caused,” said a spokesperson for easyJet.
The cancellations were an unwelcome blow for Gatwick, which has just been rated the airport in the United Kingdom with the highest rate of flight cancellations and delays.
According to CasinoSource.co.uk, the odds of a flight being cancelled at Gatwick are 39/1, with the average flight delay over the last 30 days standing at 35 minutes.
Heathrow’s chances of cancelling a flight are currently 44/1.
Fortunately, Heathrow has been spared from the worst of the latest storms, with dry weather forecast for the rest of the week.
