Gatwick Airport forced to close gate for six hours due to swarm of bees

Oliver Partridge
Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:30:24 +0000

A swarm of bees forced a gate at London Gatwick Airport to close for six hours as beekeepers panicked to remove them from crucial electrical equipment.

The infestation occupied departure gate 176R yesterday, prompting a six-hour operation by Reigate Beekeepers Association to safely remove the insects.

Despite the gate being temporarily unavailable, passengers experienced no disruption to their travel plans as no aircraft were scheduled to use that particular gate during the removal process.

Neighbouring gates also continued operating normally throughout the incident.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

Gerry James from the Reigate Beekeepers Association described his delight at receiving the call-out, telling the BBC he was "like a little child in a sweet shop".

The beekeeper found the experience "very exciting", even though his association responds to similar incidents at the airport's runway approximately four to five times annually.

Mr James acknowledged the pressure involved in such operations, explaining: "You are under pressure until you finish because you know the gate is out of action."

He praised the airport's approach to wildlife management, saying: "Gatwick is to be congratulated for what they do with the bees. They are very concerned about nature."

After clearing his equipment through airport security, Mr James employed a nuc box to capture the swarm - a compact container that functions as a temporary hive for transporting bees safely.

The rescued insects will be relocated to one of the association's training apiaries, where beginners learning beekeeping skills will care for them.

A Gatwick Airport spokesman confirmed the bees were now "safe and happy", expressing gratitude to the beekeeper for his assistance.

The airport handled the situation to ensure commitment to protecting wildlife, while maintaining operations across the terminal.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:

Britons warned that more than 1.5 million houses could be infested with notorious Japanese knotweed

Birmingham bin strike end 'within sight' as council reaches deal with union after bitter dispute

Major high street chain shuts ALL standalone stores across the UK with over 1,000 jobs lost

Bee swarms are a common occurrence during spring and early summer months, as colonies seek new locations for the breeding season.

When relocating, swarms typically pause on the first raised surface they encounter, as queen bees can only manage short flights at a time.

The Reigate Beekeepers Association has maintained a partnership with Gatwick Airport for several years, collecting swarms from numerous locations across the site.

This ongoing collaboration ensures the insects are humanely removed and rehomed rather than destroyed, reflecting the airport's commitment to environmental responsibility and wildlife conservation.

Gatwick Airport could face further challenges this summer, as Sir Keir Starmer today said Britons might have to change their holiday plans over the economic impact of the Iran war.

He told Sky News: "I can see that, if there’s more impact, people might change their habits, where they go on holiday this year, what they’re buying in the supermarket, that sort of thing."

Asked for his message to the public, Sir Keir said: "Don’t panic."

Leading a meeting of the ministerial Iran crisis committee on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said "at the moment", the Government was confident about supply chains.