How ironic.
After spending a couple of days in Geneva at a conference
with a bunch of peaceful UN folk, I arrived at Gatwick Airport to find the
place in “lock down” (yeh, I’ve watch lots of US cop shows. I know about “lock
down”, having “the DA’s office on my back”, calling in “wet boys” and stuff
like that).
The first sign that something wasn’t quite right was when
the plane pulled up to the terminal. Despite us being 10 minutes early the
pilot announced that we would be held on the plane because of “technical
problems with the stairs”. Technical problems with the stairs? Come on, pilot.
We know how this works. We’ve all watched 24. Technical problems with stairs is
code for Major National Emergency. We all know that!
So, when they let us into the terminal and we discovered we
were in the midst of a bomb scare and the terminal was in “lock down” there was
only one thing for it.
I hit Twitter. Hard.
Good new, landed
early at Gatwick North. Bad new, half airport shut. Security alert. My car in
that carpark!
At this stage we didn’t really know what was going on. And
nor did anyone else. This was a very British bomb scare. We all milled around
like naughty schoolboys. The airport officials put on brightly coloured jackets and marched up and down with
paperclips looking important. The armed police strolled around in couples,
looking very relaxed, like content young lovers, who just happened to be
holding automatic weapons.
Royal Logistics
Corps Bomb disposal guys with a very cool remote control robot at #gatwick
north now
Some armed bloke
without a smile just waved me away from the window. No need to ask twice, mate.
I'm gone!
Ok, now it got a little bit more serious. There were no
announcements but we knew what was going on. The airport people started putting
up tape and making us step back from the windows.
It was pretty clear what my next step should be. I had to
take action. I made my move. Food.
#gatwick
north car park still in lockdown. In other news, I'm having jacket potato and
beans and waiting...
#gatwick
north south shuttle closed. Barriers pushed us back further. Also potato, beans
and tea cost £8.70!!
I wasn’t the only one that had realised things were getting
serious. Other passengers could read the signs…
Time dragged on. Pressure began to build…
Three hours at #gatwick
north now. No sign of let up. May have to have another jacket potato
Suddenly a thought occurred to me. What would Bruce Willis
do? Would he sit there, eating jacket potatoes? Hell, no. Yippe Ki Yay. I decided to explore.
Unlike Bruce I decided not to crawl through the air condition vents. I took the
stairs.
Wandered upstairs
to #gatwick
north check-in. Bit of a ghost town up here
It was around this time that I realised that my tweets were
being “monitored” (or “read” as normal people who don’t watch back to back
Homeland series would call it)
@tomilube Hi Can I call you please. I am a
reporter at The Argus. 01273 544 539.
@tomilube Hi, please could we speak to you
about your delay at Gatwick? If so please follow back and DM your number.
Decision time. Do I engage with the media and become their “eyes
on the ground” (as John Le Carre would call me, no doubt)? Again I reached into
the Homeland playbook. Who was the baddy? [SPOILER ALERT. STOP READING IF YOU
HAVEN’T REACHED THAT EPISODE]
.
.
.
.
.
That reporter lady!!! I decided not to risk it and didn’t
call them back. They gave up (but strangely they still follow me on twitter. I
did tell them I wouldn’t be offended if they stopped). I continue on my search
for information.
#gatwick
OH bloke with badge say "they reckon it will be another hour". But
who are "they"?
Finally some real news. But it raised more questions than it
answered. Who are “THEY”? I watch the X-Files. Are THEY from this planet? Can
THEY shape-shift? Could THEY be among us right now? I looked around nervously.
Fortunately I found a chatty policeman. At least I assume he
was a policeman. But he looked very dishevelled and just stood around with his
hands in his pockets chatting to people. I wonder if he was in fact in a fancy
dress policeman outfit on his way back from a rugby tour. Anyway he told us
some stuff.
#gatwick
ok some proper info from a policeman chatting. 4 controlled explosions to blow
the doors off
#gatwick
lady says "it must be serious then" police chap "yeh"
#gatwick
policeman says normally a lot quicker than this. One bang and gone. Taking
their time on this one
#gatwick
I like this policeman. Quite chatty. Says its been going on for hours so muct
be over soon
#gatwick
1 ambulance and 2 fire engines waiting by north terminal. But everyone seems
calm
This is where the contrast struck me. If we were in America
I think police, army, agents would be running around everywhere saying things
like “That’s affirmative, Ma’am” and “Step back, Sir, STEP BACK, SIR” (you know
when US authorities get polite and start calling you “Sir”, you are in trouble).
In England, we all just wandered about looking a bit embarrassed, chatting to
the police and saying “oh, well never mind, eh? Only four controlled explosions? That's nice, dear. Does anyone want a jacket potato?”
#gatwick
progress. Sofitel and Premier Inn have been reopened. Lots of people moving.
Car park still closed
#gatwick
hurrah car parks open. All clear. I'm outta here people. Its been real
FINALLY, about five
hours later we were given the all clear and left the airport. All’s well that
ends well.
The only real damage was to my wallet. £8.70 for a jacket
potato with cheese and beans and a cup of tea. £8.70 !!! Can you believe it?
