Both the county police department and the British media received criticism for their handling of the arrests and subsequent release of two people who live near the airport.

Police said Saturday the suspects are a 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman from Crawley, which is roughly eight kilometres from the airport.

Thousands of passengers were delayed, diverted or stuck on planes Thursday as the only runway at Britain's Gatwick Airport remained closed into a second day after drones were spotted over the airfield.