ATC

“Their right wing clipped our nose and the cockpit,” a pilot from flight 5047, the Charlotte flight, said in an ATC audio recording.

“I’m proud that I started out as an ATC host at a NPR Member station, and now will be doing that job nationally,” he said.

EasyJet's chief operating officer, David Morgan, said: "It's extremely disappointing to see an ATC failure once again causing disruption to our customers at this busy and important time of year for travel."

Gatwick, which is the UK's second busiest airport, was badly affected by ATC staff shortages across continental Europe in 2024, and suffered the same problem in its own control tower.

However, ATC issues are considered to be an "extraordinary circumstance", meaning affected passengers are not entitled to compensation.