London's Gatwick Airport remains shut while police and airport officials investigate reports that drones were flying in the area of the airfield.

Passengers traveling on Thursday were advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.

Gatwick first closed on Wednesday night around 9 pm GMT when drones were sighted. It reopened around 3 am on Thursday morning but shut down again in 45 minutes when drones were spotted.

Many incoming flights have been diverted to other destinations in Britain and continental Europe. The disruption is having a ripple effect on air travel as cancellations mount.

The drone sighting came near the height of the busy Christmas travel season.

Gatwick is a busy airport 43 km south of central London.