Gatwick Airport: Recovery, Operations and What Travellers Should Know

Introduction: Why Gatwick Airport matters

Gatwick Airport is one of the United Kingdom’s key aviation gateways, acting as the country’s second-busiest airport and a major link between London and the rest of the world. Located south of London, Gatwick’s role in tourism, business travel and cargo movement makes it important for the UK economy, regional employment and international connectivity. For travellers and businesses, updates about operations, services and resilience at Gatwick have direct practical significance.

Main developments and operational picture

Location, terminals and operators

Gatwick sits near Crawley in West Sussex, roughly 30 miles south of central London. The airport operates two passenger terminals—the North and South terminals—and is notable for its high throughput despite historically operating with a single main runway. It serves a wide range of carriers, including low-cost operators and legacy airlines, providing routes across Europe, long-haul destinations and domestic links.

Passenger traffic and recovery

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Gatwick handled around 46 million passengers in 2019. Traffic fell sharply during the global travel slump but has been on a recovery trajectory as travel demand returns. The airport and airlines have focused on restoring schedules, rehiring staff and adapting services to meet renewed passenger volumes and changing travel patterns.

Connectivity and resilience

Gatwick benefits from strong surface links, including frequent rail services to central London via the Gatwick Express and Thameslink, which makes it convenient for both business and leisure travellers. The airport has also faced high-profile disruptions in the past—such as security incidents—and has since reviewed and strengthened its contingency and security procedures to reduce the impact of future events.

Conclusion: What to expect and why it matters

For travellers, Gatwick offers broad route options, competitive fares and solid rail connections to London. For the region and national economy, the airport remains vital for jobs and trade. Going forward, stakeholders will watch Gatwick’s capacity management, sustainability initiatives and resilience planning as key indicators of how the airport will meet demand and environmental expectations. Passengers should allow time for standard security and transfer procedures, check airline updates before travel and expect continued improvements as operations stabilise post-pandemic.