Manchester, UK — Manchester Airport experienced significant disruptions today following a major power outage that led to the cancellation of a quarter of all flights and caused chaos for passengers at the UK’s third-busiest airport.
The outage, which occurred in the early hours, severely affected baggage and security systems, leading airport officials to halt operations at Terminals 1 and 2.
By lunchtime, aviation analytics company Cirium reported that 66 outbound and 50 inbound flights had been canceled. Despite the restoration of electricity, the airport warned that it would take time to resume normal operations, urging passengers to contact their airlines for updates.
Early Morning Chaos
The power cut struck around 01:30 BST, plunging parts of the airport into darkness and crippling essential systems. Airport managing director Chris Woodroofe attributed the disruption to a “big power spike” that damaged critical equipment. Although backup power was available, repeated main power outages complicated recovery efforts.
Kelvin Knaver from St Helens, Merseyside, was among the many passengers affected. Scheduled to fly to Amsterdam with EasyJet, he described the situation as a “mess,” expressing frustration over the significant backlog and the slow pace of clearing it.
Passengers Stranded and Diverted
Images and videos on social media depicted long queues at check-in desks and passport control, with many passengers complaining about the lack of communication from airport staff. Some travelers waited in near darkness, exacerbating the sense of confusion and frustration.
Inbound flights faced diversions due to limited space, with aircraft unable to take off from Manchester. A flight from Houston was redirected to London Heathrow, while another from Singapore landed at London Gatwick.
Limited Services and Baggage Issues
The power outage also impacted baggage processing, leading airlines to instruct passengers to travel with cabin bags only. Jet2 confirmed that handlers were unable to load luggage onto planes, while EasyJet issued similar advice to its customers.
Terminal 3 passengers were also warned of potential delays. Bobbi Hadgraft, heading to Euro 2024, described arriving at 04:00 BST to find “enormous queues” outside Terminal 1. She noted that display boards and scanners were down, forcing staff to manually direct passengers.
Olwyn Hocking, another passenger, recounted chaotic scenes as “hundreds and hundreds of people” arrived with no information about the problem. Balázs Fazekas, traveling with his family, endured eight hours in queues before learning his flight to Montenegro was canceled. Despite trying to stay positive, he found the lack of communication “quite frustrating.”
Apologies, and Future Flights
Mr. Woodroofe apologized to passengers, acknowledging the difficulty of the situation. He confirmed that planes were expected to take off in the afternoon and early evening but emphasized that the airport would need time to fully restore operations.
Passengers stranded at the airport shared their experiences of confusion and delays. Phillip Banfield, whose plane departed while he was stuck at passport control, described being surrounded by “an enormous number of passengers” unsure of how to proceed.
As Manchester Airport works to clear the backlog and resume normal operations, it has urged passengers to stay informed through their airlines and remain patient during this challenging time.
The incident underscores the importance of robust contingency planning and effective communication in managing unexpected crises in major transport hubs.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
