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[Rods2]

Is that it has only one runway which is running at over 90% capacity. On the outward flight the Ukranian International Airline's flight was 2 hours late arriving at Gatwick and then we spend 2 hours sat on the aircraft waiting for a takeoff slot and revised flight plan. So I arrived at about 9:30pm in Kyiv and then had a 4-5 hour car journey which made my 5:30am wakeup time and 6:50am train to Gatwick a long day. I always like to arrive in plenty of time where I have had travel problems before which have eaten into my safety buffer. Like Heathrow it desperately needs an extra runway.

I haven't used Gatwick for some time and on the return journey I was impressed with the passport control improvements where there was no queue and was through the facial recognition electronic barrier in seconds.

[JDX]

The capacity issue is a serious one - I'm surprised there hasn't been a serious accident or two. The law of averages would suggest it's overdue.

[Doctor Gollum]

The capacity issue is a serious one - I'm surprised there hasn't been a serious accident or two. The law of averages would suggest it's overdue.

Systems exist to reduce the risk to just above act of God levels...

However you slice the numbers, day to day/week to week/month to month numbers are up solidly on the same periods last year, which in turn was a solid increase on the previous year.

Plans are being finalised for Pier 7 and moving the southern hanger space to the opposite side of the Airfield in preparation for the second runway...

Heathrow are still struggling to justify their impact assessments and man maths wrt delivery of their third runway. I can see them being given a 24 hour operation licence there just to ease the pressure on space... And by the time soil is broken in Harmondsworth, Gatwicks' runway will be open...

[LC0112G]

Is that it has only one runway which is running at over 90% capacity. On the outward flight the Ukranian International Airline's flight was 2 hours late arriving at Gatwick and then we spend 2 hours sat on the aircraft waiting for a takeoff slot and revised flight plan. So I arrived at about 9:30pm in Kyiv and then had a 4-5 hour car journey which made my 5:30am wakeup time and 6:50am train to Gatwick a long day. I always like to arrive in plenty of time where I have had travel problems before which have eaten into my safety buffer. Like Heathrow it desperately needs an extra runway.

I haven't used Gatwick for some time and on the return journey I was impressed with the passport control improvements where there was no queue and was through the facial recognition electronic barrier in seconds.

Not sure how the inbound being 2 hours late  can be the fault of LGW - I doubt the plane was circling waiting to land. And once the plane is late, getting a departure slot is rarely the airports fault - it's Swanwick or Eurocontrol that allocate the slots not anyone at LGW. LGW would want the plane out of the way to free up gates.

So whilst I support the call for a second runway at LGW (and STN and a 3rd at LHR) I'm not sure what difference it would have made here.

[Varche]

Just the other day, the bbc website had a table of worst delays for uk airports. Gatwick was top of the list. Might still be available.

[omega2018]

Just the other day, the bbc website had a table of worst delays for uk airports. Gatwick was top of the list. Might still be available.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40386476

[Doctor Gollum]

Just the other day, the bbc website had a table of worst delays for uk airports. Gatwick was top of the list. Might still be available.

Factually useless... as it gives no reason for the delays... the vast majority of which have absolutely nothing to do with the airport itself...

The Canadian routes were disproportionately delayed due to the fact that WestJet had several aircraft breakdowns.

A weather delay elsewhere can also have significant impacts on aircraft and crew resources, for example the Channel Islands spend much of Spring fogbound, with flights often diverted or cancelled which has a knock on effect... hurricanes/tropical storms can disrupt flights to/from the Caribbean, likewise the Maldives... sandstorms in Dubai cause no end of issues for Emirates... the disruptive effects for them are potentially global.

Also, at the end of the day, if the aircraft arrive late, then invariably they will leave late... rocket science it is not

As for using social media to give a second by second update... people would soon be kicking off if the engineers forget to reattach something critical (because they were being asked for the umpteenth time how much longer they would be) and the plane crashed. That said, the people waiting for that plane to arrive would probably then kick off because they won't get home in time to watch Knobenders...

[biggriffin]

O dear,
1st question was your plane at Gatwick, or delayed, from a previous job. If delayed from a previous job then that's not LGW. Fault.

Also people now days have no patience, everything must be now,

[Rods2]

It was delayed due a technical problem on a previous trip. I live in the real world and don't expect 100% reliability or punctuality. Runway capacity and use are much like motorways the nearer they are too full capacity the more slight disruption will cause delays. When an aircraft has been delayed, a new, when available, takeoff slot has to be assigned. The pilot told us unless another aircraft was delayed the next available one they had been assigned, was about 1 hour and 25 minutes after we had boarded. To me it makes sense to board the passengers to take advantage of any slot that becomes available when they are scarce. I have rarely had any significant delays beyond an aircraft's lateness when using other airports outside of Heathrow and Gatwick. The problem has been caused by political cowardice. Realistically Heathrow should now have 4 runways and Gatwick 2 or 3. As soon as Governments are involved things are always rationed and made expensive, where they are useless at organizing anything.

Although I don't like Luton and it is a pain to get to, I have not to date had any significant delays when using it, where the runway has plenty of surplus capacity.

[Sir Tigger KC]

They should be half way through building 'Boris Island' by now! 

[Mister Rog]

The real issue for all all airports with all of the problems, is "do you really, I mean REALLY need to fly in the first place" or is one doing it because you want to?  I mean go to "somewhere interesting", or go somewhere "on business", or go somewhere "on holiday"  or just stay at home. The vast majority of flights are actually not really necessary, excuses are found to justify them.

[Doctor Gollum]

The real issue for all all airports with all of the problems, is "do you really, I mean REALLY need to fly in the first place" or is one doing it because you want to?  I mean go to "somewhere interesting", or go somewhere "on business", or go somewhere "on holiday"  or just stay at home. The vast majority of flights are actually not really necessary, excuses are found to justify them.

How else do you propose leaving this island with a view to getting somewhere safely and efficiently?

Equally, that 'argument' could be applied to everything from getting up in the morning to going out for dinner...

[LC0112G]

It was delayed due a technical problem on a previous trip. I live in the real world and don't expect 100% reliability or punctuality. Runway capacity and use are much like motorways the nearer they are too full capacity the more slight disruption will cause delays. When an aircraft has been delayed, a new, when available, takeoff slot has to be assigned. The pilot told us unless another aircraft was delayed the next available one they had been assigned, was about 1 hour and 25 minutes after we had boarded. To me it makes sense to board the passengers to take advantage of any slot that becomes available when they are scarce. I have rarely had any significant delays beyond an aircraft's lateness when using other airports outside of Heathrow and Gatwick. The problem has been caused by political cowardice. Realistically Heathrow should now have 4 runways and Gatwick 2 or 3. As soon as Governments are involved things are always rationed and made expensive, where they are useless at organizing anything.

Although I don't like Luton and it is a pain to get to, I have not to date had any significant delays when using it, where the runway has plenty of surplus capacity.

Yes, but the slots are not assigned by the airport - Gatwick in your case. Slots are assigned by London Civil (Swanwick) and/or Eurocontrol. It's not an issue of runway capacity, its an issue of Air Traffic Control capacity in the airspace above the South East UK and Western Europe.

So potentially a missed slot for a delayed departure at Luton/LHR/Stansted could free up an earlier slot for a delayed but now ready flight at LGW, and LGW would find you runway space to get rid of you.

[Rods2]

They should be half way through building 'Boris Island' by now! 

They wouldn't have even begun the 20year long feasibility study yet, on year 18 of the study, after having spent £92bn on it so far, they will begin to consider flight and landing routes, transport systems to the airport and where the workforce will live and relocate to, so in year 19 of the study it is cancelled due to:

1. Dutch refusing to allow interference with Schiphol flight routes and landing patterns which was known at the start but they assumed the Dutch would cooperate!
2. The feasibility studies for the building of the transport systems will take at least 20 years and at least another 20 to get the planning and environmental studies done another 20 years to purchase the land and get detailed designs done and then allow 40 years to build them. If you think I'm joking just study HS1 and even more HS2. Estimated completion date is 2199, where Boris Island was targeted at 2120 to open*.
3. Local objections to the building of 200,000 houses in the vicinity to house the new airport's workers, so they will have to do a 200-mile daily commute from where they currently live until the house are built beginning with an estimated 2180 start.
4. Unions indicate they want at least £100k disruption and relocation cost per member of staff moving and the guaranteeing of all jobs!
5. The country can't afford the estimated £4tn cost and supersonic trains like the Hyperloop etc. means by the time it opens flying will be more expensive in many cases. Elon Musk wants to build 2 in the UK from London to Manchester and London the Edinburgh. London to Edinburgh journey time is estimated to take 20mins.
6. Studies of the SS Richard Montgomery show the cargo is highly corroded and the ammunition is highly unstable and if it blows the resulting tsunami would flood Boris Island and central London.

*Since Heathrow opened in 1946 (71 years ago) there has been no direct rail link from the West. A loop off the GWR line was suggested about 10 years ago. This has just progressed from a feasibility study to detailed planning. It is expected to be completed in the mid to late 2020's. This is only a few miles long and shows the glacial speed that Government infrastructure projects proceed at. Currently you have to travel into London and then back to Heathrow or use a bus from the West.