Winter weather, snow, ice and dense fog, is one of the biggest natural disruptors for busy hub airports. For Gatwick Airport, the UK’s second-busiest airport, even a few centimetres of snow or a prolonged period of freezing temperatures can create knock-on delays for thousands of passengers and hundreds of flights. To reduce that disruption, the airport runs a structured winter-resilience programme that combines equipment, trained personnel, operational plans, and coordination with airlines and air traffic control.
The risks Gatwick faces
Gatwick Airport’s exposure to winter disruption comes from three related hazards:
- Snow and ice on pavements and runways reduce braking friction, requiring changes to runway use and spacing.
- Aircraft icing requires time-consuming de-icing of individual aircraft before departure.
- Low visibility (fog), which can force temporary air traffic flow restrictions.
When these occur during peak periods, the airport has little spare throughput capacity, which is why advance preparation and rapid response matter.
Governance and the “command and control” approach
Gatwick’s winter approach is governed by a formal Adverse Weather / Snow Plan that sets out activation thresholds, roles and communications lines. The plan defines when weather triggers escalation (for example, “Snow State 2” or higher), who chairs the tactical calls, and how the airport coordinates with airlines, ground handlers and NATS (the UK air traffic service). Clear command-and-control reduces duplication, speeds decision-making (for example, temporary runway suspensions to enable clearance) and helps prioritise safety over punctuality.
People: the trained crews: “Polar Bears” and “Yetis”
One of the most visible parts of Gatwick’s programme is its winter crew training. Colleagues who drive snow-clearance and de-icing vehicles are nicknamed “Polar Bears” (and, in some communications, “Yetis”), a deliberately memorable label to identify those trained in airfield winter operations. Training is held each autumn and includes simulated exercises, vehicle handling, safety procedures, and coordination drills so teams can operate at speed when the weather hits. In recent seasons, Gatwick reported hundreds of staff trained in winter roles, and thousands of hours of training completed ahead of the season.
Kit and capability: vehicles, de-icers and tools
Gatwick maintains a sizeable winter fleet designed to treat runways, taxiways, aprons and access roads. Public documents listing equipment show a mix of:
- runway sweepers and snow cutters,
- multi-purpose “multihog” brush/plough/spreader vehicles,
- tractor-mounted ploughs and brushes, and
- runway/taxiway anti-/de-icer tankers.
Minimum availability lists (used when Snow States are declared) specify dozens of vehicles of different types so the airport can treat its pavements quickly and in parallel. Over recent years, Gatwick has committed further investment in its winter fleet to maintain and expand its capability.
Aircraft de-icing and apron management
De-icing an individual aircraft is a process that takes equipment, chemistry (approved anti-icing fluids) and time. Gatwick’s plan allocates dedicated stands, coordinates ground handler resources and uses staggered departures to avoid bottlenecks. The airport communicates early with airlines when large-scale de-icing is likely so airline operations teams can replan crew duty times and passenger connections to limit disruption. These procedures are critical because individual aircraft de-icing cannot be rushed without compromising safety.
Training, exercises and lessons from past winters
Gatwick runs recurrent training and tabletop exercises to keep procedures sharp. Lessons from past major events, notably the severe UK winters that exposed weaknesses in 2010 and later incidents of prolonged fog, have strengthened coordination and made rehearsed responses routine. The airport stresses caution in forecasts, the need to maintain equipment availability, and contingency arrangements for staff reaching the site in difficult conditions.
Coordination with partners, airlines, handlers and NATS
No single organisation can solve winter disruption; success depends on close collaboration with airlines, ground handlers, fuel suppliers and the UK’s air traffic service (NATS). Gatwick’s operating model uses joint tactical calls during severe weather to prioritise runway use, decide which stands are cleared first, and manage passenger flows in terminals. That joint approach also underpins passenger-facing decisions such as planned cancellations or holding aircraft on the ground when necessary.
Capacity constraints and long-term resilience
Even with excellent planning, Gatwick can face capacity constraints in severe weather because removing snow or treating runways requires suspending runway movements for short periods. To reduce that vulnerability, the airport has pursued longer-term projects, for example, the Northern Runway project and related capacity schemes intended to unlock spare runway capacity and improve resilience to disruption. Those infrastructure plans are part of a wider strategy to balance growth with operational robustness.
Passenger advises how to travel smarter in winter
Passengers can reduce frustration by following a few practical steps:
- Check your airline’s latest guidance and the airport’s live status before leaving home.
- Allow extra time for journeys to the airport roads and public transport can be affected.
- Expect possible de-icing delays; keep connecting plans flexible and consider travel insurance that covers missed connections.
- Sign up to airline notifications so rebooking offers reach you quickly when disruptions occur.
Clear, early communication from Gatwick and carriers is intended to help travellers make safe choices.
What could still go wrong realistic limits of preparation
Preparation reduces risk but does not eliminate it. Very heavy, prolonged snowfall, rapid freezing after wet weather, or extended periods of dense fog can still force significant disruption. Aircraft turnaround times lengthen in severe conditions, and air traffic flow restrictions may be imposed for safety reasons beyond the airport’s direct control. The aim of Gatwick’s planning is therefore not to promise zero disruption but to keep operations safe and to minimise the scale and duration of delays.
