My Take on the Day-Very Inconvenienced Passengers NOT Complaining!
I was at Gatwick that day booked on BE802 scheduled to depart LGW for NQY at 0900. The inbound aircraft, a Q400 was held at NQY because of a failure of the oxygen system. BE sent an engineer from Exeter to NQY to fix the problem. Inbound aircraft arrived LGW about 1130 and we were allowed to board at 1215. Naturally loads of bitching from passengers regarding delay, including me as arrived from HKG at 0500.
1225 about to push back and Captain announced LGW closed due to emergency landing, i.e. BE1432. While we sat stuck for another 2 hours on the plane before eventually taking off, the Captain graciously allowing free use of the washrooms and soft drinks, nobody on the plane complained from that point.
Even the Stag Party lager louts and Party girls understood there was a situation requiring priority, and I did not mind eating my long awaited for Cornish Pasty cold (it still tasted good!).
Nicc HK