A significant disruption occurred at London Gatwick Airport on Friday afternoon when a British Airways Boeing 777 aircraft aborted takeoff, causing a halt in operations.
The plane, bound for Vancouver and scheduled to depart at 11:40 am, was already accelerating on the runway when the pilots applied the brakes, bringing the aircraft to a stop.
According to PYOK, emergency services promptly responded to the scene, leading to a temporary disruption in airport operations.
The 25-year-old aircraft was safely secured, and investigations into the incident were likely to follow.
London Gatwick Airport, one of the busiest single-runway airports globally, has a primary runway spanning 3,316 metres.
Although an adjacent taxiway can serve as a backup runway during maintenance, both the primary runway and taxiway were unavailable, effectively closing the airport.
As a result, several incoming flights had to divert to alternative airports, including an Emirates Airbus A380, initially scheduled to land at Gatwick at 12:30 pm, which was rerouted to Brussels.
According to a spokesperson, the runway was only closed for approximately 20 minutes, but the brief disruption had a ripple effect, causing delays in departing flights throughout the afternoon.
The airport released a statement, prioritising safety, and confirmed that the fire service promptly responded to support the aircraft.
“A number of flights were diverted,” the airport said in a short statement. “The runway is now open and operating as normal.”
British Airways explained that the aborted takeoff was a precautionary decision made in response to a technical issue, without specifying the nature of the problem.
The airline emphasised its commitment to safety, saying it always prioritises.
It, however, regretted the inconvenience caused by the incidenct. [SR]
