Why a 30-Minute Storm at Gatwick Ruins Everyone's Day

Gatwick Airport crams one flight every 65 seconds—nearly its physical limit. When thunderstorms stopped operations for 30 minutes on June 24, 2026, about 27 flights vanished from the schedule. Gatwick has no cushion; its timetable runs at full capacity with no slack. That backlog rippled through the rest of the day and night, turning a half-hour weather event into twelve-plus hours of disruption.