Gatwick disruption caused major inconvenience for passengers after a water supply problem affected both airport terminals on Sunday. Gatwick disruption disrupted facilities across the airport as restaurants closed and many toilets stopped operating. Meanwhile, Gatwick disruption prompted airport officials and airlines to introduce temporary measures while engineers investigated the problem.
Airport officials confirmed that a water supply fault in the Horley area affected services across both terminals. They apologised for the disruption and assured passengers that teams were investigating the issue. Additionally, staff distributed bottled water to passengers and employees while contingency plans remained in place.
SES Water confirmed that complications at its Bough Beech Water Treatment Works caused the disruption. The company explained that a power outage created technical problems at the site. As a result, some customers experienced low water pressure while others temporarily lost their water supply.
The water company said engineers immediately began working to restore normal operations. Furthermore, officials confirmed they were working closely with Gatwick Airport throughout the incident. They also said their priority remained restoring normal service as quickly as possible.
The disruption forced several restaurants and bars to close because staff could not safely prepare food or maintain hygiene standards. However, shops selling packaged food continued operating throughout the day.
Passengers described difficult conditions inside the terminals. Some travellers said they received little information about the incident after arriving at the airport. Others said they had not seen bottled water being distributed despite the airport’s announcement.
Several passengers also reported that many toilets remained open but lacked running water for hand washing. Consequently, concerns grew about hygiene as more travellers arrived for flights.
One traveller said restaurants and airport lounges closed during the disruption. However, retail shops remained open and continued serving customers. Another passenger said popular food outlets turned visitors away because they could not safely operate without water.
Travellers also described unusually quiet restaurant areas. Staff reportedly prevented customers from entering dining areas because kitchen operations had stopped. Consequently, many passengers searched for packaged food instead of hot meals.
Meanwhile, some travellers criticised the limited seating available after restaurants closed. They argued that families should have received access to unused seating areas during the disruption. Many passengers instead sat on the terminal floor while waiting for flights.
Airport officials advised travellers not to arrive earlier than necessary. They explained that limited facilities could make extended waiting times more uncomfortable.
EasyJet also adjusted its airport operations because of the ongoing disruption. The airline temporarily delayed opening its bag drop counters until two hours before departure instead of three. Furthermore, the carrier urged passengers not to arrive early because they could not access the departure lounge before bag drop opened.
Airport officials continued monitoring the situation alongside SES Water engineers throughout the incident. Meanwhile, repair teams worked to restore normal water supplies across the airport and surrounding communities.
Officials said they would provide further updates as engineers completed repairs. They also thanked passengers for their patience while emergency measures remained in place.
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