Rail Disruption Sends Gatwick Travellers Searching for Taxis

Christmas Eve travel turned messy for many UK passengers. Fast. Rail services to Gatwick Airport were disrupted, right when people were already cutting it close. Great Western Railway pointed to a shortage of train crew between Reading and the airport, and that was enough to throw plans into doubt. Miss one connection, miss the flight. Simple as that.

So people adapted. Quickly. Taxis filled the gap. Cars too. Around Gatwick, it showed. Drop-off zones felt tighter. Queues longer. Roads slower than expected, even for December. For a lot of travellers, paying extra for a cab felt better than standing on a platform, checking the clock again and again.

The RAC had already warned that millions would be on the road across the UK that day, so pressure was always coming. For anyone heading to an airport, the message is fairly clear. Leave earlier. Book ahead if you can. Expect delays. Because on days like this, the journey itself can decide how the holiday starts.