On a Saturday evening in early November, the quiet rhythm of travel into Jersey was broken once again, as unauthorised drones drifted into the airspace above the airfield for a second night running. Flights were held and cancelled, and travellers and the drivers who wait for them were left in limbo, while the island's police and political leaders turned to the question of who would send machines into the sky with such careless disregard. It is a small modern unease, yet it touches the old human wish for a place to arrive safely and on time, and the answer now rests with those willing to come f
Second Night of Drone Disruption Strands Passengers at Jersey Airport
Travellers faced cancellations and waiting, and taxi drivers faced uncertain income; no injuries were reported.
Not a prank or a harmless hobby
Mark
Two nights running at a small island airport. Why does this feel bigger than a couple of cancelled flights?
Mimi
Because Jersey depends on that airfield. When inbound flights are cancelled, families like Pacific Basirwe's, waiting for his wife and young son from Heathrow, are simply stuck.
Mark
And it isn't only travellers who are affected.
Mimi
No. Richard De La Haye, a taxi driver for over 40 years, described a bind: leave and risk stranding arriving passengers, or stay two hours for nothing.
Luke
Let me slow down on the numbers. Police say two or three drones. That's the inspector's belief, not a confirmed count.
Mark
So what do we actually know?
Luke
That the airport reported disruption from drone activity on Saturday at 20:05, that it was the second night, and that police are investigating. Beyond that, it's thin.
Mimi
The terrorism point is similar, isn't it? Insp McCallum said the drones are not thought to be linked to terrorism.
Luke
Right, thought. That's a working assessment, not a finding. And we don't know who is flying them or why.
Mark
The Chief Minister's language was strong, though.
Mimi
He said it's not a prank or a harmless hobby, and that anyone identified faces the full consequences of the law.
Luke
Which is a warning, not a charge. Nobody has been identified, so the next development depends on whether the police appeal produces anything.
Der Puls
- Two nights running, unidentified drones have forced disruption on inbound flights into Jersey Airport.
- Two or three drones are believed to have breached restricted airspace, and the cause remains unknown.
- Travellers wait in frustration at the terminal while taxi drivers sit idle, caught in a costly double bind.
- Police have launched an investigation and appealed for witnesses, while the Chief Minister vows the full force of the law.
- Until someone is identified, the airport stays exposed to a repeat of the disruption.
On a Saturday evening in early November, the quiet rhythm of travel into Jersey was broken once again, as unauthorised drones drifted into the airspace above the airfield for a second night running. Flights were held and cancelled, and travellers and the drivers who wait for them were left in limbo, while the island's police and political leaders turned to the question of who would send machines into the sky with such careless disregard. It is a small modern unease, yet it touches the old human wish for a place to arrive safely and on time, and the answer now rests with those willing to come forward.
At 20:05 on Saturday, Jersey Airport announced that further drone activity near the airfield was disrupting inbound flights. It was the second night in a row, and the cancellations had left people at the terminal frustrated and angry.
Police believe two or three drones entered the restricted airspace, and they say the activity is not linked to terrorism. The Chief Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham, called flying a drone near an airport "not a prank or a harmless hobby," and warned that anyone identified will face the full consequences of the law.
Among those affected was Pacific Basirwe, who had come to meet his wife and young son arriving from London Heathrow. He called the disruption annoying and said that without action, whoever is responsible will keep doing it.
Richard De La Haye, a taxi driver of more than 40 years, described the bind facing drivers: leave, and arriving passengers are stranded; stay, and he sits for hours with no fares. He said the situation was getting silly and needs resolving, though he admits he does not know the answer.
No injuries have been reported. The next step rests with the police inquiry and with the public, whose information could identify those who flew the drones.
At 20:05 on Saturday, Jersey Airport put out a statement saying it was experiencing disruption affecting inbound flights because of further drone activity in the vicinity of the airfield. The word "further" mattered. It was the second night in a row that unauthorised drones had interfered with flights into the island, and the cancellations that followed left people at the terminal frustrated and angry.
States of Jersey Police are investigating both incidents and have appealed to anyone with information about who is responsible to come forward. Insp Rob McCallum said officers believe two or three drones entered the airport's restricted airspace. He added that the activity is not thought to be linked to terrorism.
The island's political leadership has also weighed in. Senator Lyndon Farnham, the Chief Minister of Jersey, said that operating a drone close to an airport is "not a prank or a harmless hobby." He addressed those responsible directly, saying the message was clear: anyone who is identified should expect to face the full consequences of the law.
For the people waiting at the airport, the effects were immediate. Pacific Basirwe was there to meet his wife and young son, who were due to fly in from London Heathrow, when he heard the news. He told the BBC it was annoying, and that drone use of this kind should be regulated, with those responsible prosecuted. He pointed out that it had now happened two days running, and said that without further action, whoever is behind it will keep doing it.
The disruption reaches beyond passengers. Richard De La Haye, who has driven a taxi for more than 40 years, said the uncertainty is hurting business for drivers like him. He described sitting at the airport for a couple of hours without knowing what would happen. The problem, as he laid it out, is a double bind: if drivers leave and flights then land, arriving passengers are stranded waiting for cabs, but if they stay and the flights do not come in, they sit for two hours with no fares.
De La Haye said the situation was getting silly. He admitted he does not know the answer, but said it really needs to be resolved. No injuries were reported in connection with either night of disruption, though the cost in cancelled flights, waiting travellers and lost taxi work is plain.
What happens next rests largely with the police inquiry. Officers are relying on the public for information about who flew the drones, and the Chief Minister has made clear that those found responsible will face the law. Until someone is identified, the airport remains exposed to a repeat of the past two nights.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
Operating a drone close to an airport is not a prank or a harmless hobby.— Senator Lyndon Farnham, Chief Minister of Jersey
It's getting silly and I don't know the answer, but it really needs to be resolved.— Richard De La Haye, taxi driver
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