Gatwick Airport Flights Grounded Due to Technical Issue with Aircraft

Flights at Gatwick Airport were halted for nearly an hour on September 4, 2026, after a Boeing 787 aircraft became stuck on the runway due to a problem with its landing gear. The aircraft had to be towed away, and the runway was closed for approximately 50 minutes. The affected flight was a Norse Atlantic Airways service to New York, scheduled to depart just after 1 PM. Thousands of passengers experienced travel disruptions as airport staff worked to resume flights. Gatwick has two runways, but they cannot be used simultaneously due to their proximity. Passengers were advised to travel to the airport and check online with their airlines for updates. One passenger reported on social media that the plane was surrounded by about 20 ground vehicles. Another passenger, who was on a plane returning from the Isle of Man, mentioned that their flight was diverted to Luton. A spokesman for Gatwick Airport confirmed that the runway was closed for 50 minutes due to the technical issue and that the aircraft was towed from the runway after a full safety inspection. A spokesman for Norse Atlantic stated that the aircraft rejected take-off following an indication of a potential technical issue, and confirmed that no passengers or crew members were injured. The incident is under investigation. This incident follows a previous issue at Gatwick where passengers were left without running water in July.