Covid flight cancellations are back as thousands grounded after virus hits Gatwick air-traffic controllers

An outbreak of Covid has been blamed for the third air-traffic control slowdown at London Gatwick so far this month.

Staff sickness in the control tower meant the “flow rate” of flights using the world’s busiest runway was reduced.

Fifty flights to and from the Sussex airport were cancelled or diverted, while many other services were delayed by up to seven hours.

An estimated 8,000 passengers were left out of position. Once again, easyJet made the vast majority of cancellations: a total of 42.

Eight flights were grounded between Gatwick and Belfast – six to and from the Northern Ireland capital’s International airport, and two serving Belfast City