London Gatwick Airport Latest Update: London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is currently open and operating, though a disabled British Airways aircraft blocked the main runway earlier today, forcing the temporary closure of the airport and triggering dozens of cancellations and over 400 flight delays. The runway issue began when an arriving British Airways flight from Palma de Mallorca encountered a technical fault and remained on the runway, bringing airport traffic to a standstill.
Gatwick Airport Open or Closed Today?
London Gatwick Airport is now open, and normal operations have resumed following a temporary overnight runway closure. The main runway is fully operational after being shut down for a short period overnight.
The disabled aircraft has been safely towed away by recovery teams. Landings and departures have resumed, though travelers should check live updates on the Gatwick Airport Flight Info Page.
However, knock-on delays and scheduling adjustments are expected throughout the morning.
What Happened at Gatwick Airport?
The disruption was triggered when British Airways Flight BA2673 from Palma de Mallorca landed at approximately 12:12 AM and suffered a technical fault (reported as a nose-gear steering issue), leaving it stuck on the tarmac.
As Gatwick relies on a single main runway for its primary operations, the blockage meant no other aircraft could land. Arriving planes were forced into lengthy holding patterns over Southern England. As circling aircraft began running dangerously low on fuel, nine planes simultaneously squawked the 7700 emergency code to gain immediate priority routing to alternative airports.
Gatwick Airport Flight Delays
Flight delays and scheduling adjustments persist at London Gatwick Airport as the hub clears a major morning backlog. This follows an emergency overnight runway closure triggered by a disabled British Airways aircraft.
Gatwick Airport Flight Cancellations
There are currently no widespread or mass flight cancellations reported at London Gatwick Airport following the overnight runway closure.
Gatwick Airport Flight Diversions
A total of 14 inbound flights were diverted away from London Gatwick Airport overnight. This mass disruption occurred after British Airways Flight BA2673 experienced a technical fault, blocking the airport’s sole operational main runway.
Gatwick Airport Today: Passenger Advisory
Passengers traveling through London Gatwick Airport today, July 15, 2026, must expect ongoing queue delays and scheduling adjustments as the terminal operations clear a significant morning bottleneck. While the main runway reopened overnight, terminals remain highly congested.
Gatwick Airport Today: Current Status
The runway officially reopened at approximately 1:30 AM after recovery teams successfully towed the disabled British Airways aircraft to a hangar.
The vast majority of the 14 diverted aircraft have since refueled and flown back to Gatwick to disembark their passengers. While flight operations have restarted, minor knock-on delays persist throughout the day due to aircraft and crew being displaced overnight. Passengers can track active tail numbers using the Flightradar24 Tracking Platform.
