This is a developing story, as we get additional information we will update this post.
For the 3rd time in 4 weeks a London airport has had to shut down due to drones around the airfield. This time the worlds busiest dual runway airport is affected, London’s Heathrow (LHR). All departures have been temporarily halted.
We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow and are working closely with the Met Police to prevent any threat to operational safety. As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause.
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) January 8, 2019
For the most up to date information, check out @HeathrowAirport on twitter
Flight radar is reporting that the last departure from Heathrow was 17:15 (5:15 PM). Arrivals are still operating right now
Departures stopped at London-Heathrow. Arrivals continuing to operate on RWY 27L.
📡 https://t.co/koCjSkPgzE https://t.co/Vq7ipsxhuc
> Do you have a connect at the property who I can try to work on this with? I do not know anyone at that property.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 8, 2019
It is being reported that departures have begun to resume at 18:13 (6:13 PM). With no departures for almost an hour, expect delays on multiple flights
Departures at Heathrow continuing now. https://t.co/mfoO0XBAf8 pic.twitter.com/hyxjpBFFUu
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 8, 2019
Flightradar24 is showing around 30+ aircraft waiting to depart, needless to say it will be a long night as delays will probably begin compounding. Heathrow isn’t very well equipped to handle large numbers of delays as there just isn’t slack in the airports schedule.
Some of the backlog waiting to depart London-Heathrow. https://t.co/koCjSkPgzE pic.twitter.com/eUYOk9o5IN
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 8, 2019
London Gatwick Incident
Between December 19-21 2018, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Gatwick Airport, following reports of drone sightings close to the runway. The police received 92 sightings of a drone from credible eyewitnesses. No videos or photographs of the drone were handed to the police. London police did make an arrest of someone who lives within 2 miles of the airport but were unable to connect them to the incident and they were later set free. The lead investigator from Sussex Police questioned whether there had been a drone at all. Giles York, Chief Constable, later said police thought that original sightings were of an unauthorized drone, but it was possible that later sightings may have been of a drone used by Sussex Police. There is currently a £50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators.
Feature image via Adonyi Gábor