Departing flights at Gatwick Airport were brought to a sudden standstill this afternoon after a technical problem left an aircraft stuck on the runway.

The airport shut its runway shortly before 2pm when a Boeing 787 was unable to leave the airfield. Emergency vehicles were promptly deployed around the aircraft as airport operational teams worked to move it and restore normal flight movements.

The aircraft involved had been operating a scheduled service to New York, originally set to depart shortly after 1pm. Airport teams were later able to clear the aircraft from the runway, but the shutdown caused immediate disruption to the wider timetable.

A spokesman for Gatwick explained the situation during the incident, stating: “Due to a technical issue with a departing aircraft, our runway is currently closed. Our teams are working to move the aircraft and resume operations as quickly as possible. As always, safety and security is our number one priority.”

If you are due to travel from Gatwick today, airport management has advised passengers to continue travelling to the airport as planned, while checking the latest updates directly with their airline.

The suspension of operations had an immediate knock-on effect on both departures and arrivals, with several incoming services forced to divert to alternative airports across the country.

Among those affected was a passenger travelling back from the Isle of Man whose flight had to be diverted to Luton. Sharing their experience on X, they explained they were “stuck on a plane returning from the IOM to Gatwick after jawbone surgery yesterday” and were “exhausted”, adding: “The plane has diverted to Luton… I’d rather get out and catch a train back to London!”

Other passengers reported being held on the airfield with little communication about when they would move. Another traveller posted directly to the airport on social media, asking: “Gatwick Airport any idea what is happening? I am stuck on your runway with no information.”

What we do not know yet is the specific nature of the technical fault that immobilised the Boeing 787, or the total number of flights delayed or diverted as a result of the afternoon closure.

This afternoon's disruption adds to other recent operational challenges at the airport. Last month, a burst water main affecting SES Water supplies left terminal facilities without running water for several hours, leaving travellers unable to use some toilets or refill bottles, while airport restaurants were forced to turn people away.

Ground teams are now focused on clearing the flight backlog and returning services to their regular schedules. I'll be following this one — check back for updates.