Gatwick flights are getting back to normal

News at Gatwick 20/12/2010

Gatwick to invest heavily in snow-clearing equipment : December 2010 : Govt says it knew Heathrow was ill-prepared for heavy snow

Following a weekend of chaos, operations are returning to normal at Gatwick Airport.

Gatwick Airport says flights are finally returning to normal, as its runway has opened following the weekend’s disruption. However, the airport warned that knock-on effects would continue.

The airport suffered severe problems with heavy snowfall over the weekend. Thousands of travellers were forced to sleep in the terminal as severe weather got the better of the crews’ ability to clear snow from runways, taxi ways, parking bays and aircraft.

Stewart Wingate, chief executive of Gatwick, said on Sunday that the airport had spent £8 million to expand its fleet of snow clearing vehicles to 95, from the previous 47. He added that this gives Gatwick the largest such fleet at any British airport.

The first two new snow ploughs arrived at Gatwick on Saturday morning, just as fresh snow hit the airport. The new vehicles immediately went to work to help get travellers back on the move.

Mr Wingate said the rest of the new vehicles would arrive next week and in the early part of next year. With the expanded fleet, said Mr Wingate, Gatwick’s snow-clearance capability would equal that of Oslo airport.

Gatwick to invest heavily in snow-clearing equipment : December 2010 : Govt says it knew Heathrow was ill-prepared for heavy snow

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