Manchester Airport power cut: Passengers told to stay away
"Warning To Avoid Airport During Power Cut"
Written by Ewan Gawne and Simon Browning of BBC News, this article discusses transportation.
A video taken by a passenger reveals individuals stuck in a dimly lit area at Manchester Airport.
Travelers have been advised to avoid Manchester Airport following a significant power outage that has caused disruption to a large number of flights.
The alert for travelers passing through Terminals 1 and 2 was issued following a disruption that occurred in the wee hours, impacting baggage and security processes.
There are long lines inside the airport, which is the biggest in the UK after London. Over 10 flights leaving the airport have been canceled and incoming flights have been redirected. It is likely that there will be further delays and disruptions throughout the day.
Travelers using Terminal 3 are advised to arrive at the airport at their usual time, but may experience some delays, according to a spokesperson for the airport.
Travelers had to line up and wait outside of Terminal 1.
Airline passengers who are already at the airport will be given priority as they work to address the backlog, according to a spokesperson.
The amount of flights that have been canceled on the airport's departure board is expected to increase throughout the morning and into the early afternoon.
The airport informed the BBC that incoming flights were redirected because there was not enough space for planes to depart.
This made it more difficult to receive planes, which would then be sent to another location, the spokesperson explained.
The airport advised passengers to get in touch with their airline.
The airport's secondary power systems kicked in after the primary system failed, but the situation became more complex as the main power source kept shutting off repeatedly.
Airlines have reported issues with handling luggage, causing customers to only be allowed to bring a small bag onto the plane.
According to Jet2, workers were not able to put bags on planes because of the technical issue.
In the meantime, a representative from Easyjet mentioned that passengers were only allowed to bring a cabin bag on board their flight due to issues with the baggage system.
The inconvenience occurred at the beginning of the summer vacation period at the third busiest airport in the UK, which has issued an apology to travelers.
A person at the airport said the power outage "completely shut down everything."
It also impacted neighboring businesses, such as large distribution companies in the vicinity.
Bobbi Hadgraft, who is currently en route to watch England play in Euro 2024, shared on BBC Radio Manchester that she got to the airport around 04:00 BST and noticed large lines forming outside of Terminal 1.
"We were concerned that we might not make it to our flight on time," she mentioned. She explained how the power outage caused disruptions to the display boards and scanners, leading staff to guide passengers throughout the airport.
Flights departing from Terminal 1 and 2 have been impacted by the electricity outage.
Phillip Banfield said his flight had departed while he was still at passport control.
He mentioned that there were a large group of passengers stuck and unsure of how they will be able to proceed with their travels.
It was nearly impossible to get through check-in and security, unless you had only a small bag with you, he noted.
Many people have taken to social media to express their frustration with the long lines at check-in counters and passport control, along with the lack of communication from employees during the hectic situation.
Images and videos displayed lengthy lines of individuals, with some patiently waiting in low light.
The airport experienced a power outage around 01:30, but it has now been fixed. However, it will take some time to fully restart all systems.
More information provided by Aleks Phillips
Travelers at the airport mentioned that workers were manually inspecting passports and boarding passes.
