Gatwick’s south terminal has reopened for passengers after a security alert caused disruption for thousands of people.
Sussex police said they had released two people after concluding their investigation into reports of a suspect package at the airport. A bomb disposal team made the package safe, the force added in a statement on X.
Travellers were unable to check in for more than four hours after the terminal building was evacuated on Friday morning as bomb disposal experts responded to reports of a suspected prohibited item in the luggage area.
By mid-afternoon, Gatwick airport said the security alert had been resolved and a security cordon around the terminal had been lifted.
The scare caused frustration and alarm among evacuated passengers, many of whom were handed foil blankets as temperatures hovered barely above freezing.
Brian Torres, 22, who was visiting from New York in the US, had been in the terminal preparing to go through security checks when he was ordered to evacuate. He said: “I just want to get back home to talk to my mom. It’s scary. They’re not informing us about anything.”
Denice Sealy, who was travelling to Malta for her birthday, had also been queueing at security when she was told to turn back. “When we got outside we didn’t know where to go because there were no staff there,” she said. “With regards to passengers and communication, it’s been absolute chaos.”
She added: “In the end, a load of us ended up walking from the south terminal to the north terminal, and it was freezing.”
The airport thanked passengers for “their patience and understanding”. It said in a statement: “The earlier security alert has now been resolved and cleared by police. The south terminal is reopening to staff and will be open to passengers shortly.
“Trains will also start calling at Gatwick airport once the terminal is fully reopened. We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while this situation was resolved. Safety and security is always our top priority. There are some delays and cancellations, passengers should contact their airline for any updates on flights.”
Sussex police were called to the south terminal at 8.20am on Friday when the suspect luggage was discovered. The force imposed a security cordon around the terminal to ensure public safety. An explosive ordnance disposal team was deployed to the airport as a precaution, it said.
Passengers were warned to expect significant disruption and the public were urged to avoid the area.
People outside the airport after the evacuation order. Photograph: Marcin Nowak/LNP
Deborah Cohen, a former BBC journalist, shared video of passengers being ushered to lower floors of the airport. Another video posted on X by Cohen showed passengers being given foil blankets to keep warm.
Staff wearing national inter-agency liaison officer (Nilo) bibs were videoed at the scene. Such officers work with police, fire and rescue services and other agencies to support critical incidents.
The aviation analytics website Cirium said 316 flights were scheduled to depart from the airport on Friday, with a total of more than 60,600 seats. A further 318 flights were scheduled to arrive, with more than 61,400 seats.
Train services at Gatwick station were suspended for several hours.
Patricia Lima, 36, from Brazil, who was due to fly to the US after a holiday in the UK, was among passengers at London Victoria struggling to reach the airport. She said she was disappointed and tired, adding: “I don’t feel well when we don’t have much information.”
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