Flights canceled at two Manchester airport terminals due to power outage,,
Outage results in significant delays; officials advise travelers scheduled from terminals one and two to avoid coming to the airport.
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| Passengers at Manchester Airport face lengthy queues following power outage – video |
Following a significant power cut early Sunday morning, all flights departing from terminals one and two at Manchester Airport have been cancelled, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded. Passengers scheduled to travel from these terminals were advised not to come to the airport, with warnings issued that even flights able to depart might not have accompanying luggage.
The outage, which affected critical systems such as boarding card processing and baggage screening, led to extensive delays. Over 60 departures, approximately a quarter of Sunday's scheduled flights, were cancelled, along with 50 inbound flights. Despite power being restored, operations were severely impacted, evident by stacks of suitcases at check-in desks and lengthy queues of hopeful passengers awaiting updates on their flights displayed on departure boards.
Tensions were palpable in the terminal buildings, marked by announcements urging passengers on cancelled flights to leave the airport and contact their airlines from home. Among the affected carriers were Virgin Atlantic, Jet2, and easyJet.
Rick and Sue Newby, from Macclesfield, were scheduled for an easyJet flight to Lanzarote at 7am but discovered upon arrival at 5am that their flight had been cancelled after checking in and heading to the gate. They managed to rebook on a Jet2 flight departing from terminal two later in the afternoon, only to receive an email just before 1pm notifying them of another cancellation.
"We paid nearly £500 extra for new flights to get out there today," Sue lamented. "And they let me book that at 11.30am this morning. Oh my God, I can’t believe it. We have been here since 5am."
Videos circulated on social media depicted the airport in darkness with baggage carousels halted during the early hours power cut. Many travelers voiced frustration over the ongoing disruption, even after power had been restored.
"All the airport is open, all the shops are open, all the lights are on, hot food is being made and served – it’s like, what power cut? What is this power outage?" Rick questioned. "We just don’t understand what is going on."
Numerous passengers had arrived at the UK's third busiest airport on Sunday morning reassured that their flights were operational, only to learn after midday that all flights from terminals one and two had been cancelled.
Paula and Meredydd Williams found themselves scouring the internet for alternative flights to Nice, France, after their 12.55pm departure was cancelled. They had traveled from their home in Eryri (Snowdonia) to the airport without prior knowledge of the power outage.
"If we’d known sooner, we could have stayed at home," Paula remarked. "My daughter texted me after hearing it on the news. We've received very little information. They told us we could board with only hand luggage, so we went through security, only to find out the flight was cancelled."
The couple, who manage their own holiday cottage business, had to arrange cover for their absence during their planned five-night trip. They were struggling to secure any flights that would allow them to reach their holiday destination before Tuesday.
Emma Jones, from Wrexham, described being on hold with Jet2 for an hour and 15 minutes as she tried to rebook her holiday following the cancellation of her 4pm flight to Greece.
"It’s nobody’s fault, really," she reflected. "But I called Jet2 this morning before leaving home, and they advised us to come to the airport as usual. We were just told to allow extra time for security. It’s been incredibly stressful."
Passengers also reported being informed that they could not bring checked luggage if their flight proceeded. Sharon Hudson, waiting for a flight to Egypt, expressed concern: "How are we supposed to manage a two-week holiday with just hand luggage? If they could put us on a later flight with our luggage, I'd be okay with that. But going without it could mean waiting a week or more, if it arrives at all."
Chris Woodroofe, the managing director of Manchester Airport, expressed confidence that the issues would be resolved and normal operations restored by Monday, while offering his heartfelt apologies to all affected.
"We experienced a power spike in our electrical system early this morning, which resulted in significant damage to crucial equipment for departure security and our departure baggage systems," he explained.
"As a consequence, terminals one and two were unable to handle departing aircraft today, which also affected our ability to receive arriving flights due to limited airfield parking space," Woodroofe added.
Although some flights continued to arrive, many were redirected to other airports. Terminal three, which handles domestic flights, experienced lesser disruptions but could still encounter delays.
Travel expert Simon Calder described the situation at Manchester Airport as "extreme disarray" following the power cut. Speaking to LBC, he highlighted the challenges exacerbated by the incident occurring during the peak travel season: "With high booking volumes, knocking out a significant number of flights could lead to substantial delays, potentially leaving passengers waiting several days to reach their destinations."
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