Gatwick Airport Boxing Day misery as ‘feral’ scenes leave people frustrated trying to get home

Mateusz Kantarewicz captured this video of people queuing in one of the car parks

Touching down at an airport, especially if it's after a long flight, you just want to get home…

However, people arriving into Gatwick Airport were left queuing for taxis, Ubers and National Express coaches reportedly for several hours.

Videos and pictures from in and outside the terminal building show passengers in line for as far as the eye can see on Boxing Day.

Those left in a frustrating situation shared their experiences on social media with some users posting on Twitter that they were in fact stranded.

Ololade mi Lo wrote, “Two hours waiting for cab at Gatwick Airport. Had to split it with strangers God what a life”.

While Luke Groves said, “National Express was fully booked until 320am. Taxi queue was nearly a mile long with not enough taxis.  Uber wouldn't accept my ride request. Manic at the airport!”

Irene Gagliardi reported much worse, telling us, “We have been at the airport for six hours”.

And Jordan Kelly-Linden described the situation as, “Feral scenes in the Gatwick National Express queue. Lots of delays and some very frustrated passengers.”

Gatwick Airport was offering advice to people on social media and had reminded people in the days up to Christmas to check the transport situation.

Trains from the West Sussex airport are usually extremely limited on Boxing Day but there is normally some form of a service.

However this year, the station was closed and all routes closed meaning people had very limited options to continue their onward journey.

Network Rail members of the RMT union went out on strike from 6pm on Christmas Eve to 6am on December 27th in a bitter row with the Government about working conditions, cuts to staff and pay.

An overtime ban is also continuing for the rest of the year meaning train services will continue to be reduced.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "The union remains available for talks to resolve this dispute.

"But until the government gives the rail industry a mandate to come to a negotiated settlement on job security, pay and condition of work, our industrial campaign will continue into the new year, if necessary."

Ministers have criticised the unions over the industrial action.

Meanwhile, a strike by Border Force airport security staff continues until Friday.