TRAVELERS at Manchester Airport are facing travel chaos this morning as all flights are canceled following a power cut.
Huge queues of angry passengers have been unable to check in, and a sea of suitcases sit unoccupied and arriving passengers are stuck on planes.
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Queues at Manchester Airport this morning
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Sea of luggage at the airport Credits: Zenpix
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Staff working to clear the backlogCredit: X / @theshrew88
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Passengers queue outside Terminal 1. Credit: Reuters
All flights from terminals 1 and 2 have been canceled until further notice.
Flyers told The Sun that the terminals were previously like a “minefield” with thousands of people stuck inside with nowhere to go.
Hundreds of suitcases were also dumped in abandoned check-in areas as conveyor belts and computers stopped working.
Ian Ellison, 42, told The Sun that arriving at the airport early this morning was “absolute chaos” after their flight was stuck on the runway for two hours.
A Chester man has returned from a lovely 10-day holiday in Paphos, Cyprus with his wife and five-year-old son.
Their plane arrived at Terminal One at 2.50am, but the passengers were not allowed off the plane and became increasingly agitated about the children on the “flight”.
He said: “The captain on the plane said he had never experienced anything like it.”
Have YOU been affected by the chaos at Manchester Airport? Get in touch: [email protected] OR call The Sun on 020 7782 4100, you can also reach us on WhatsApp at 07423 720 250
After finally catching a bus to Terminal 2 at around 5am, Ian said going through immigration was smooth – only chaos met the other side.
“It was like a minefield going through Terminal 2.
“Bags were everywhere and nobody told us which belt was where… it was total chaos.”
Ian said it took his family about 25 minutes to search through the straps and find their bags.
He thinks there were up to 10,000 people stuck inside Terminal 2, many who couldn’t check in because bag conveyors and computers weren’t working.
“When I passed the Jet2 desk there were people leaving… they were being told five hour delays.
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Airlines will arrange any onward travel for those whose flights have been canceledCredit: X.com/SebbieJ
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Passengers resorted to sitting on suitcases or concrete while remaining outside the terminal Credit: Reuters
“It just seemed like there wasn’t anyone from Manchester Airport Group there, it looked like the airline people were trying to organize it… you could see the airlines were struggling.”
A video posted on social media shows passengers queuing in one dark terminal illuminated by emergency lighting at 4am.
Another showed hundreds of passengers standing around at baggage claim, unsure of which carousel their belongings were on.
Manchester Airport said power was back on at 7.45am, but passengers were still facing a nightmare.
Those flying from Terminals 1 and 2 have been told to stay away as all flights from the terminal have been cancelled.
The airport also warned that anyone who manages to take off from Terminal 3 could have their luggage on another flight.
Statement from Manchester Airport
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “Manchester Airport was affected by a major power outage in the area earlier this morning.
“Power has been restored, but the outage affected critical systems, including boarding pass processing and baggage screening, causing significant delays, particularly in Terminals 1 and 2.
“All flights from Terminals 1 and 2 are canceled until further notice, and passengers traveling from these terminals are advised not to come to the airport and to stay in touch with their airlines.
“Flights due to depart from Terminal 3 should arrive at the airport as normal, unless advised otherwise by their airline, but may be affected by delays.
“The flights for those passengers who have already registered are departing, but are subject to delay.
The interruption means that some of the luggage may not be on those flights. We will work with airlines and handling partners to reunite affected passengers with their luggage as soon as possible.
“Some inbound flights are diverted to other airports, which means people needing to pick up passengers from the airport should check before departure.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to restore normal service as soon as possible.”
And easyJet said in a post on X that passengers departing later today would only be allowed hand luggage “due to scanners not being used due to overnight power cuts”.
Arriving passengers have also been warned that they may be diverted to other airports.
Passengers planning to take off later are urged to check with their airline before leaving for the airport.
It is understood that airlines will arrange any further travel for those whose flights have been cancelled.
Posting on Twitter, passenger Aaron said: “We were standing in the same spot for over an hour and a half.
“We are still being told that ‘normal services will resume as soon as possible’ – our flight leaves at 7.10am.”
Chris said: “I landed at 1am and I’m still waiting for my luggage, it was embarrassing for everyone involved.”
Another passenger said: “A notice of what is being done to sort out this mess as soon as possible would be more helpful than an apology for the inconvenience.
“People have been stuck for hours now, everyone in T1 is very patient, but they are getting angrier and fed up.”
The captain of the plane said he had never experienced anything like it
Ian Ellison
The chaos in Manchester comes less than a month after passengers at Birmingham Airport queued for hours to get through security.
The airport has reportedly overhauled its security system in time for the summer holidays – causing half-term chaos.
Some passengers were reportedly pulled out of lines as the gates were closing for their flights.
Last month, a nationwide IT failure caused border control misery at all UK airports.
Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester were among airports marred by long queues due to a “technical issue” with border control.
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is canceled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines must provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you are flying to or from the UK, your airline must allow you to choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get a refund for the portion of the ticket that you have not yet used.
So if you have booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get a refund of the full cost of the return ticket.
But if the trip is essential, then your airline must find you an alternative flight. It could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline does not have to refund you if the flight is canceled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather conditions.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, strikes by air traffic control employees or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ do not qualify for compensation.
Some airlines may extend the definition of “extraordinary circumstances”, but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, travel insurance can reimburse you.
Policies vary so you should check the fine print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours usually means you are entitled to some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is completely cancelled, it is unlikely that you will be covered by insurance.
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Flyers departing from Terminals 1 and 2 were told to stay away Credit: Zenpix
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Overnight power caused disruption Credit: Reuters
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