Press Release
Gatwick’s Christmas getaway begins
17 December 2009
Gatwick’s Christmas getaway begins
17 December 2009
With more than one million passengers set to fly through Gatwick between Saturday 19 December and Sunday 3 January, the airport is gearing up for one of the busiest periods in the calendar. This weekend will see nearly 188,000 people travelling through the airport with 95,000 on Saturday and 93,000 on Sunday.
The busiest weekend overall will be January 2 and 3 January, when more than 250,000 passengers will travel through Gatwick.
Over the next few days thousands of lucky passengers will avoid the snow forecast over the next few days for much of Great Britain by jetting off to holiday hot spots like Orlando, Sharm El Sheikh, Dubai and Barbados.
With presents bought and party plans in place it is important passengers take extra time to prepare for their journey.
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick’s Chief Executive said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming passengers to Gatwick this Christmas time. It’s our first as a major independent airport company and our goal is to deliver a great service for passengers with safety and security as our top priority.
”The security measures we have in place are for everyone’s safety and by being well prepared, passengers can help avoid any unnecessary delays.”
Advice for passengers:
Allow plenty of time to travel to the airport and arrive at least two hours before your flight departs.
Check with your airline on restrictions that apply to both hand and checked-in baggage.
Liquids in hand baggage must be in individual containers no greater that 100ml capacity and placed in a transparent re-sealable bag, no larger than 20 cm x 20 cm (8” x 8”) in size. Pack as much as possible including presents into baggage you’re checking-in.
Hand baggage – In many cases passengers can take more than one item of hand baggage per person through security providing any bag has maximum dimensions of 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (22” x 17.7” x 10”). However, some airlines continue to permit only one bag and passengers are advised to check their airline’s baggage policy.
Do not wrap presents that you wish to carry in hand luggage as they may need to be inspected at security.
Do not carry Christmas crackers. They are not permitted in either hand or checked-in luggage.
Pack all sharp objects, such as knives, scissors and corkscrews, in baggage you’re checking-in. They must not be carried in hand luggage. Full details of the current security restrictions are provided at www.gatwickairport.com
