A stranded easyJet passenger stepped in to help overwhelmed ground staff at London Gatwick Airport during the major UK air traffic control disruption on September 8. Kurtis Toy, 36, had his own flight to Aberdeen cancelled but volunteered to assist staff struggling to communicate with a large crowd of passengers.
With no megaphone available, Toy used his loud voice to relay important updates from easyJet employees, including information about cancelled flights and where passengers should go to collect their luggage. His announcements were met with applause from the crowd, encouraging him to continue helping the staff.
Toy later said the staff were doing their best but were struggling to make themselves heard amid the noise and constant questions from passengers. One traveller reportedly brought him water and a KitKat after his throat became hoarse, while easyJet staff thanked and hugged him before he left. Toy modestly described his actions as “just loud customer service.”
The incident came during a major NATS flight-processing system failure that disrupted operations at Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Stansted and other UK airports. Around 2,163 flights were affected and at least 300,000 passengers impacted, according to aviation industry data reported after the disruption.
