Gatwick airport runway closed due to oil spill

Gatwick airport has been closed to all flights due to an oil spillage on the runway ... which reportedly came from a Virgin jet...

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/flights-halted-at-gatwick-airport-due-to-oil-spill-on-runway-a3191576.html

It reopened within 25 minutes.

A lot of diversions though.

Mainly to SOU, BOH and STN although a couple got diverted to LHR including the EK15 which is now estimated to depart 5 hours late for the return 16.

I wouldn't fancy having to sort out a whole A380 worth of passengers who have missed connections at DXB

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

They did.

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

As far as I'm aware it was G-VAST and still on the ground at Gatwick.

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

They did.

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

As far as I'm aware it was G-VAST and still on the ground at Gatwick.

Thanks Mike. I don't really understand the news story, if they did move to the other runway?

Ok - so it was a landing jet - rather than one which was taking off. Makes more sense.

Yeah, it was the Vegas inbound.

The airport closed for 80 minutes which was obviously enough to delay a number of outbound flights and cause a number of inbound to divert, hence the news story. When the airport reopened they were using the northern runway. I'd assume it couldn't be an instant switch due to aircraft positions on the ground along with assessing what had actually happened.

Mike

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

Other runway ?

Other runway ?

8L / 26R. Normal operations are 8R and 26L.

It took time to move all the aircraft from 8L / 26R as that doubles up as a taxiway for 8R / 26L, hence the closure.

Other runway ?

8L / 26R. Normal operations are 8R and 26L.

It took time to move all the aircraft from 8L / 26R as that doubles up as a taxiway for 8R / 26L, hence the closure.

Thanks for explaining Mike

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

Other runway ?

Blacky, Gatwick actually has two runways but they are too close together to be used simultaneously, so the second runway [northern] can only used when the main runaway is out of use, the northern runway was originally constructed as a taxiway but has been upgraded/extended etc to a reserve runway howeverlacks instrument landing systems etc

Why wouldn't they move operations to the other runway?

What happened to the Virgin jet which lost all of the oil?

Other runway ?

Blacky, Gatwick actually has two runways but they are too close together to be used simultaneously, so the second runway [northern] can only used when the main runaway is out of use, the northern runway was originally constructed as a taxiway but has been upgraded/extended etc to a reserve runway howeverlacks instrument landing systems etc

I must admit I was a bit confused