A power cut at Manchester Airport this evening has caused chaos in Terminal 3, with passengers reporting significant disruption.
The airport has confirmed it is experiencing a "technical issue" affecting some systems in the terminal.
In a statement released this evening, Manchester Airport said: "We're aware of a technical issue affecting some systems in Terminal 3 this evening. Flight are not affected."
The airport added that they are "working to fix the issue as soon as possible" and apologised for any inconvenience caused.
Passengers queue inside the departures area of Terminal 1 at Manchester Airport
PA
However, passengers have taken to social media to dispute the airport's claim that flights remain unaffected.
One passenger wrote: "I think flights are affected though as the first officer and crew came out of the plane to tell us we're delayed as we're waiting for someone from the power company to come..."
Another traveller responded: "We're sat on a plane with no fuel and have been told incoming flights are diverted. Definitely affected."
The contradictions to the airport's official statement continued as one frustrated passenger complained: "Most staff have gone awol. There's very few staff, resilience or otherwise to be seen."
They added: "Assuming there is going to be massive delays and cancellation. Planes are all sitting idle with passengers aboard. The least travellers can expect is a bit of honesty."
A member of the military at passport control at Manchester airport as they cover for striking Border Force officers
PA
Further reports from stranded passengers highlighted the severity of the situation.
"We too are sat on a plane... fastened to a jetty that cannot be released without power," one passenger wrote on social media.
The power outage appears to have affected multiple aircraft, with several planes reportedly grounded and unable to depart.
Passengers have expressed frustration at what they perceive as a lack of transparency from airport officials.
The technical issues have also reportedly caused problems at passport control, creating additional bottlenecks for travellers.
Despite Manchester Airport's statement that their resilience teams are assisting, many passengers claim staff presence has been minimal throughout the disruption.
Manchester Airport has stated that their "customer services and resilience teams are on hand to assist passengers" during the disruption.
Thomas Cook aircraft parked at Manchester Airport
PA
However, this claim has been directly challenged by passengers experiencing the power cut first-hand.
The airport has apologised for any inconvenience caused by the technical issues.
Officials maintain they are working to resolve the problem "as soon as possible."
As of this evening, there has been no indication of when normal service might resume at Terminal 3.
Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest information regarding their flights.
The power outage comes during a busy travel period, exacerbating frustrations for those affected.
