Gatwick Airport runway reopens after 'technical issue'
A problem with a departing plane led to the runway being closed for almost an hour
Gatwick Airport's runway has reopened after a brief technical issue led to all flights being temporarily grounded.
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Initial reports suggest the issue was caused after an aircraft headed to New York "rejected take-off".
The airport confirmed that the aircraft has been towed and that the runway is now open after a safety inspection.
A problem with a departing plane led to the runway being closed for almost an hour.
A London Gatwick spokesperson said: "The runway was closed for 50 minutes this afternoon (Friday 4 September) due to a technical issue with a departing aircraft.
"The aircraft was towed from the runway, which reopened shortly afterwards following a full safety inspection. As always, safety and security is our number one priority.”
@flightradar24
— Chuck (@ChuckIOM) September 4, 2026
Gatwick Airport closed. pic.twitter.com/b8OKiwRk45
It is believed that a Norse aircraft rejected takeoff and was stuck on the runway.
Images from Flightradar24 showed a Norse plane bound for New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport stuck on the runway.