Passengers at Stansted Airport faced security queues of up to two hours after a power surge knocked several systems offline. The disruption affected security and immigration at London's third-busiest hub, with travellers reporting long delays.
Power surge disrupts airport systems
A spokesperson for Stansted Airport said: "Due to an earlier power surge that has affected the airport and local area, a number of airport systems were temporarily impacted." They added that while most systems were back in operation, some remained affected and not operating to full capacity, including security and baggage systems.
One social media user shared a picture on X of hundreds of passengers queuing at security, noting that an announcement had been made in the terminal that staff were working to restore systems. Another passenger posted a photo of a packed arrivals corridor, with people queuing on escalators for passport control.
Rail and transit disruptions add to traveller woes
The airport disruption follows a weekend of severe weather, with Storm Boelo causing widespread damage. Greater Anglia cancelled dozens of Stansted Express trains after fallen trees blocked the line from the airport to London.
On Friday, travellers were left without water for hours after a fault with Stansted's internal passenger transit train, which connects the main terminal with a satellite pier. Passengers waited for replacement shuttle buses as engineers worked to fix the automated transit, which is due to be decommissioned next year.
Wider impact of storms
The disruption comes as back-to-back storms Austen and Boelo left thousands of homes without power, with heavy rain and wind battering much of the country. The severe weather also led to the cancellation of London's Diwali celebrations, which had been due to take place in Trafalgar Square, over safety concerns.
