After travel chaos, flights start again from two terminals at Manchester Airport

Flights have resumed from Manchester Airport’s two main terminals after a “major power outage” caused travel chaos for passengers.

The airport said in a post on X that it was “currently in the process of resuming operations” and that it expected “flight traffic to resume during the remainder of the afternoon and evening.”

It continued: “It remains important that passengers check with their airline before travelling to the airport.”

“We are also working closely with the airlines to reschedule the cancelled flights in the coming days. Flights scheduled for tomorrow should not be affected and passengers should be able to get to the airport as usual.”

The facility had previously announced that all flights from Terminals 1 and 2 were cancelled “until further notice” and passengers were advised not to come to the airport.

Travelers who wanted to depart from Terminal 3 were largely unaffected.

The power outage in the early hours of Sunday morning was believed to have affected only the airport, after it was initially thought that another surrounding area was also affected.

Passengers who were already at the airport had to expect enormous delays. Pictures show long queues.

There have been cases where some people’s luggage was not on the flights.

Manchester Airport chief executive Chris Woodroofe apologised for the chaos and said he expected the situation to resolve tonight and operations to return to normal tomorrow.

Holidaymaker Lindsay Mitchell hoped that she and her family would be able to fly to Turkey later today for the trip they had been planning for a year.

She was scheduled to travel with her husband, daughter, son, son’s girlfriend, daughter’s boyfriend, nieces, sister, and two granddaughters.

Ms Mitchell told Sky News: “We were advised not to go to Manchester Airport this morning but thought we might as well risk it as our flight isn’t until 6.30pm for tea time. Fingers crossed.”

She added: “You have to make the best of a bad situation. It’s not the airline’s fault, it’s not Manchester Airport’s fault, it’s nobody’s fault, it’s just one of those crazy things that happen on a daily basis.”

Another passenger, Hayden Lewis, said his flight to the Greek island of Skiathos was cancelled after he spent about five hours at the airport.

He later drove to Birmingham Airport after his father dropped him off there and now hopes to reach his holiday destination.

Mr Lewis told Sky News: “Our flight was cancelled after we had been at the airport for about five hours. We had no idea when they [the airline] could get us there, so we took matters into our own hands and are now at Birmingham Airport on our way to the right destination.

“We were going to Skiathos for nine nights. We travelled from Halifax to Manchester. Thanks to my dad who picked us up in Manchester and dropped us off in Birmingham, we are now in Birmingham. And all because EasyJet don’t know when they can get us out but want us (like thousands of others) to keep checking the app.”

EasyJet, which operates flights from Manchester Airport’s Terminal 1, said there had been “very long queues” at security and disruptions to baggage handling, leaving passengers unable to board flights with hand luggage only.

It said: “While it is beyond our control, we would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

“We are doing everything we can and working closely with the airport team to minimise disruption.”

Many incoming flights have now been diverted to other airports. Anyone who is to pick up passengers from Manchester Airport should therefore find out more before travelling.

An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport was diverted to Birmingham Airport.

The airport said: “We apologize for any inconvenience and are working to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.”

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A Virgin Atlantic spokesman said: “Following a widespread power outage at Manchester Airport, baggage systems are currently inoperable.

“Our teams are working closely with the airport authorities and keeping our customers updated with the latest information.

“Virgin Atlantic flights are currently operating but there may be minor delays.”