closed

ALL planes leaving Gatwick Airport have been grounded causing chaos for passengers.

A Boeing 787 aircraft was reportedly stuck on the runway and the technical issue is currently being investigated, it is understood.

Staff worked to resume flights as quickly as possible after the runway closed at 1.40pm today.

A London Gatwick spokesperson said: “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.”

Airport officials have informed customers to still travel to the airport on time for their flights.

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The Sun understands the plane was a flight to New York which was due to take off just after 1pm.

It appeared to be on the runway surrounded by several fire engines but has now been cleared.

One passenger returning from the Isle of Man said on X: “I’m stuck on a plane returning from the IOM to Gatwick after jawbone surgery yesterday.. exhausted.

“The plane has diverted to Luton…I’d rather get out and catch a train back to London!”

The grounded plane caused chaos with many EasyJet flights being reportedly sent to other airports.

Another added: “Gatwick Airport any idea what is happening? I am stuck on your runway with no information.”

It comes after a water outage at the airport last month where passengers were left without running water.

The airport was left unable to flush toilets, wash their hands and refill bottles for several hours.

The outage was caused by a burst water main, which has affected the supply to the airport.

One source told The Sun at the time: “There were no announcements, they just started turning away everyone at the restaurants.

“Water fountains weren’t operational either. People are treating the toilets like portaloos at a festival, its going to be a biohazard soon.”

The water in the area is covered by SES Water, which covers parts of Surrey, Kent and London.

The airport chaos came just weeks after a similar water outage left the airport with no running water, toilets or bars.

Passengers called it “disgraceful” with images showing vending machines with no water left and dirty toilets.

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A POPULAR seaside town has been forced to close its cliff lift with immediate effect over safety fears.

The attraction, which cost £8,000 to build, is the oldest of its kind in the UK and first opened in the coastal resort in 1875.

Engineers assessing Scarborough Spa Cliff Lift found “a number of issues”, resulting in its closure.

The Victorian-era lift is one of the seaside town‘s most popular heritage attractions.

Last year, a host of live performances and exhibitions were held in the town to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Carl Les, councillor with North Yorkshire Council, said “the lift is an important part of Scarborough’s history and identity”.

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He added that no decisions had been made “regarding the scope of any future works, timescales or funding arrangements”.

The findings would be assessed in detail and further updates would be shared “in due course”, the council added.

The lift was used to transport passengers between the hotels on the Esplanade and the spa and was originally powered by water and gas engines.

It was converted to run on electricity in the 1950s.

The latest report investigated the condition of the tracks, carriages and associated infrastructure, the council said.

The council added that as the lift is in a “challenging coastal environment”, this could accelerate wear and corrosion.

The attraction was an adults-only zone where grown ups could unwind. However, this has now been closed, with customers who’ve booked their spot in advance being contacted for a refund

Butlin’s has confirmed the closure of an attraction in its Bognor Regis park, with customers who had bookings saying they’re “gutted” by the news.

The park was home to Ocean Spa, a part of the resort primarily aimed at the adult market, with 13- to 17-year-olds admitted only if accompanied by an over-18. The spa included a steam room, sauna, heated tiled loungers, a hydrospa, and a sun terrace, allowing for relaxing spa days and a variety of treatments.

The spa, the last of its kind in its parks, is now set to close on August 28. Butlin’s is contacting customers with existing bookings to offer them their money back. Previously, the holiday park operator also operated a spa at its Skegness park, which closed in 2021.

Josh Engleman, communications manager at Butlin’s, said: “We can confirm we’ll be closing our spa at Butlin’s Bognor Regis. We’ve contacted the small number of guests who had booked to visit the spa and they will, of course, receive a full refund.

“The spa has always been a small part of the resort experience. Our focus is on the activities and entertainment that families come to Butlin’s for, including recent additions such as PLAYXPERIENCE, which opened at Bognor Regis last year.”

Butlin’s customers have taken to social media to express their disappointment in the news. One posted a copy of the email she received confirming her cancellation, and commented: “We going in October and just got this. Gutted. First year my daughter is old enough.”

Another said: “What a massive mistake! This was one of the only things for adults to relax and have a break from the kids! Such a disappointment.” While another complained: “Why close the spa? We need a place to de-stress!”, accompanied by a string of angry emojis.

While the spa closure has been confirmed, Butlin’s has announced some new facilities in its parks in recent months. It recently added self-service bars to its parks, allowing people on both self-catering and all-inclusive packages to skip the queues and easily pour their own pints, soft drinks, and cocktails.

It also added bookable karaoke pods, where groups of up to 12 can choose from 45,000 chart-topping hits and throwback tunes, with a 55-minute session costing £36. You can even keep the party going by ordering drinks to your pod.

PLAYXPERIENCE was also added to Butlin’s Bognor Regis in autumn 2024, a 50,000 square feet activity centre that offers nine experiences across two floors for kids and adults. These include escape rooms, a virtual reality arcade, laser tag, and hi-tech mini golf courses.

In addition to family holidays, Butlin’s also continues to offer its adult-only Big Weekenders for visitors who’d prefer to enjoy the parks without kids around. These include themed weekends based around music genres and decades.

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