Gatwick Airport summer getaway ‘intense’, staff say

On the tarmac, the runway is looked after by a team of nine who ensure it is maintained to operate 24 hours a day.

The wider airfield operations team works closely with air traffic control, keeps wildlife away from aircraft, and helps to marshal planes when needed.

Airfield operations controller Danyell Wickham helps ensure the safety and compliance of the airfield.

Standing on the side of the runway, Wickham explained the team could deal with up to 900 aircraft movements a day in the summer “and 57 movements an hour sometimes”.

“We also need to make sure that we get maintenance done in certain areas, so it’s just making sure that everything lines up.

“We can close certain areas of taxiways or stands to make sure that the airfield gets the maintenance it needs.”

Wickham said the summer period for her team was “business as usual” as they maintained the tarmac to a high standard all year round.

“The fact that we can take so many movements on a single runway is amazing,” she said.

“Everyone works so well together, so it’s really rewarding when you get through a really safe, compliant and a brilliant day.”

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