Power failure triggers delays for passengers at Stansted Airport

Stansted Airport has been hit by a power failure which has led to delays for passengers.

The outage hit the entire airport site, and the railway station had to be evacuated after fire alarms went off.

Passengers tweeted pictures of the crowded airport saying they could not get their luggage or pass through the terminal.

People on the Stansted Express said they had to get off trains at Bishop's Stortford where there was confusion and crowds were left trying to reach the airport.

Rich Falconer posted on X - formerly Twitter - to say there was chaos at the station.

He said replacement buses put on by Greater Anglia were filling up instantly.

The airport described the failure as a "brief power outage" but said systems had to be rebooted and there were "ongoing delays".

Passengers are being advised to check the status of their flights and some restrictions were put in place on arriving passengers to stop overcrowding in the terminal building.

Rail operator Greater Anglia said "a controlled evacuation" had been carried out at the airport station after fire alarms went off and that trains were currently unable to run to or from the airport.

It said: "Network Rail response staff are going to attend and the emergency services are currently on site. No fire has been found at the station, but a burnt switch in an electrical room has been found."

In a further update Greater Anglia said Network Rail had been able to recover the signalling systems, but the railway station remained closed for "safety reasons".

Trains were only running between London Liverpool Street and Bishops Stortford, while staff worked to re-open the airport station.Greater Anglia added: "Please be aware that the airport terminal is also experiencing disruption. Please check with your airline for travel advice regarding your flights."

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