Drones at Download festival cause airport disruption

A runway at East Midlands airport was closed and flights diverted over the weekend due to a fan filming a festival with a drone.

The Download festival, which took place at Donington Park over the weekend is situated just one mile from the airport.

On Friday night (June 10), six passenger flights and two cargo flights were rerouted to airports including Leeds and Manchester. The runway was closed for an hour from 11.15pm.

Statements from the airport, Leicestershire Police and the festival say that drones used to film the rock festival led to the delays and one runway being closed.

“Recent reports of drone sightings near Donington Park have resulted in some operational disruption at East Midlands Airport during the last 48 hours. This has primarily affected the night-cargo operation but a small number of passenger flights have been diverted to other airports this afternoon."

The airport’s managing director Clare James told the Daily Mail:

“It’s a criminal offence, it is very inconvenient for passengers, it costs thousands of pounds for cargo carriers but most of all it is a flight safety risk.

“We have detection equipment here, we are working with police, so my message to whoever is doing this is just stop or face prosecution.”

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