The marathon task of resurfacing the runway at Gatwick is set to begin next March after the airport announced the resurfacing contract had been awarded to civil engineering contractor VolkerFitzpatrick.

At 400,000m2 – the area of 100 football pitches – the runway’s surface will require approximately 65,000 tonnes of asphalt.

As the world’s busiest single runway airport, handling up to 53 flights per hour, work will be carried out during the night with about 130 metres of runway being resurfaced at a time. In addition to resurfacing, the runway’s drainage will be updated and the runway and taxiway lights will be replaced at the same time

Gatwick witnessed a 5.9% increase in passenger numbers last month.

Figures recently released show that more than 3.6 million passengers passed through the airport in July 2011 – 201,300 more passengers than July 2010. This is a continuation of an upward trend in passengers at Gatwick as, in a rolling 12-month period, passenger numbers have increased by 4% on the previous 12 months.

A 14.1% increase in the low cost carrier European schedule helped fuel the increase, as did an increase in load factors from 84.5% to 86.8% .

The future looks bright for Gatwick following Air Asia X’s announcement that it will switch operations from Stansted to Gatwick in October 2011.

Gatwick flights were temporarily grounded yesterday after a construction worker found a suspected Second World War hand grenade on the lower ring road.

The area was cordoned off and a controlled explosion was carried out by the Explosive Ordnance Division.

The Carphone Warehouse and Vacation, Vacation, Vacation’s Phil Spencer, visited Gatwick Airport at the weekend to help save travellers thousands on their mobile roaming bills. Expert staff were on hand to offer advice to the 100,000 travellers on how to make the most of using their mobile phone abroad – without the worry of a big bill.

This summer, British smartphone users will pay over £500m in mobile phone charges incurred while using data roaming abroad. New research has shown that 80% of British holidaymakers have admitted receiving a bill on their return which was up to £100 more expensive than their usual monthly bill.

The ‘holiday help desk’ saved travellers at Gatwick a huge £1,000 per hour in unwanted phone charges by encouraging people to call their network and add a holiday bundle, something that can reduced costs by as much as 97%.

Phil Spencer said: “I know first-hand how expensive tweeting or browsing on a mobile can be when you’re abroad, even if it’s only for a few minutes. Over 90% of holidaymakers who we spoke to today had no idea that they were at risk of an increased mobile phone bill. I’m glad we helped save them from a huge bill on their return.”

Plans to build a golf course near Gatwick Airport have been rejected.

The plans for a nine-hole golf course, driving range, clubhouse, car parking and access were rejected 11-1 by Crawley Borough Council due to an existing Government White Paper which secures the area surrounding Gatwick Airport for possible future expansion of the airport.

Although the Government has said that no new runways will be built in the South East, the safeguard to protect land near Gatwick for expansion still exists and is not due to expire until 2019.

With the half-term school holidays underway, Gatwick Airport has revealed the top-ten most popular half-term holiday destinations from Gatwick.

The top 10 half-term holiday destinations:

1. Malaga
2. Palma De Mallorca
3. Dublin
4. Faro
5. Dalaman
6. Madrid
7. Alicante
8. Orlando
9. Edinburgh
10. Jersey

Last month saw a record high in terms of passengers for Gatwick with passenger numbers increasing by 34.2% compared with April 2010.

The airport saw 2,759,000 passengers pass through the terminal in April, up 702,500 on April 2010.

Although most of the growth can be attributed to the fact that Gatwick was closed for six days last April due to the ash cloud, passenger numbers are up by 1.5% when comparing the periods May 2010 – April 2011 with May 2009 to April 2010.

Elvis hopes to leave the building with buckets of money for Red Nose Day tomorrow (March 18) when he joins British Airways ‘fun-raisers’ in the North Terminal at Gatwick Airport.

Elvis impersonator Dave Bogle will be entertaining passengers all morning while British Airways staff collect for Flying Start, the airline’s global charity partnership with Comic Relief.

Uniform Standards have been relaxed for one day only to allow them to wear Red Noses and join in the fun.

Elvis will perform in an area in the airside departure lounge between 9am and 12 noon, and passengers will be offered Red Noses and fairy cakes in return for a donation. Collections will also be made at the departure gates.

Tomorrow is the culmination of a week of British Airways Red Nose Day fund raising activity at Gatwick which began on Monday with a Race in the Sky with comedy duo Dick and Dom.

In addition the airline donated all ‘at airport’ excess baggage charges for the day to the charity. They hope to announce the grand total raised next week.