London Gatwick has detailed its £17m (US$22.6m) winter resilience investment to enable the airport to keep flights running safely and on time.
The airport has acquired six new compact jet sweepers and two electric de-icers to deliver faster clearance, greater maneuverability and improved ploughing technology that leaves runways drier.
Employees have completed more than 5,000 hours of winter operations training, combining four days of classroom learning and practical equipment training alongside refresher courses. The airport is confident its teams are fully prepared to keep the airfield running efficiently in the event of snow, ice or fog.
More than 450 employees support London Gatwick’s winter operations across airfield, engineering and fire service teams. This includes 180 ‘polar bears’, who are volunteers trained to operate snow-clearance vehicles and 50 landside ‘yetis’, responsible for gritting and clearing 27 miles of airport roads, car parks and transportation routes, keeping passengers safe.
London Gatwick operates 75 dedicated airside winter vehicles, including snow ploughs, sweepers, multihogs, tractors and de-icers, supported by a full fleet of landside gritters and clearance machinery.
Mark Johnston, chief operating officer at London Gatwick, said, “By planning ahead and equipping our teams with the right training and tools, alongside the work of our airline partners and ground handling agents, we ensure passengers can travel with confidence, even in the busiest and most challenging conditions of the season. From our dedicated snow‑clearance teams to the upgraded fleet of vehicles, every measure is designed to minimize disruption and keep flights moving through the colder months ahead.”
London Gatwick manages its winter readiness program in‑house, ensuring rapid response and full operational control. Working with the Met Office, the airport activates a dedicated on‑call team, with approximately 200 colleagues on stand-by whenever snow or severe weather is forecast, guided by detailed protocols in its adverse weather plan.
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