Gatwick Airport South Terminal evacuated over suspect luggage

A large section of one of Gatwick Airport’s two terminals has been evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found in a piece of luggage.

Passengers have been unable to enter the South Terminal since 10:55 GMT.

“Safety and security of our passengers and staff remains our top priority,” an airport spokesperson said.

Sussex Police said an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team had been deployed as a precaution.

“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with,” a police spokesperson said.

“This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible.”

Laurence Kemball-Cook, who was due to fly Portugal, said he and his family faced delays of up to 90 minutes getting through security.

“We were sitting there waiting for a slightly delayed flight and one of the staff rushes over and says ‘you’ve got to evacuate right now’. So I sprinted down the corridor, picked up my partner and the baby, who were changing, and then they were rushing everyone out the main terminal,” he said.

“We are now waiting with no guarantees of when it’s going to leave.

“I can see the plane but it looks like the whole airport is shut and no-one, none of the police, will say anything to us.”

The airport, in West Sussex, said the evacuation was a precaution while it continued to investigate.

“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing,” the airport spokesperson said.

“We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”

Railway services are also not stopping at Gatwick Airport station until approximately 14:00 GMT, National Rail Enquiries said.

A Southern spokesperson advised passengers not to travel to Gatwick.

“At present, the station and airport are being evacuated whilst the police are dealing with an incident,” they said.

Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express services are being affected.

National Highways said there were long delays from junction nine of the M23 on the approach to Gatwick.

Several British Airways departures are delayed by at least one hour and 40 minutes, including to Orlando, USA; Funchal, Portugal; and Tenerife, Spain.

Spanish carrier Vueling ordered inbound flights from Barcelona and Seville to turn around and return to their starting airports.

And a Norwegian flight to Bergen departed two hours and seven minutes late.

Local bus services have also been affected and are unable to run to Gatwick, according to Southern.

“We’ve also been advised of local road closures too, so if you are driving to the airport, please be aware of this when planning your journey,” a spokesperson said.

London Victoria railway station is advising also those travelling to avoid heading to Gatwick Airport.

Station announcements and screens are advising the public to not travel towards the area and to wait at Victoria Station.

The north terminal is unaffected by the evacuation.

Meanwhile, travel journalist Simon Calder said about 100,000 passengers would be flying in and out of Gatwick Airport today.

About half of those passengers would be using the south terminal, he said.

“Flights are still landing. But if they are landing at the South Terminal, people are going to the gate as normal, but then they are not getting out on the air bridge and walking out into international arrivals, they are being put on buses to the North Terminal to be processed there.

“That will mean lots of crowds building up, and they can’t leave the North Terminal to go to the station.”