Passengers hoping to fly out from Luton Airport face travel nightmares today as a power cut has left flights grounded.
Engineers have already fixed the issue, which is believed to have happened at around 6am this morning following reports of a lightning strike, but it is expected to have knock-on effects for flights for most of today.
Passengers due to fly out have been advised to contact their airlines, while those already in the air have been diverted to other airports.
A spokesman for London Luton Airport said in a statement: "Following a power failure in the area this morning, a temporary loss of navigational aids at the airport resulted in some disruption to flights.
"Engineers quickly resolved the issue and operations have returned to normal, although some knock-on delays are likely.
Have you been affected by the power cut at Luton Airport? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk
"Passengers should speak to their airlines for the status of their flight.
"We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused.”
Passenger Kate Cooper's flight was on approach to Luton after a nightmare wait for a flight home when the power cut hit, causing her flight from Poland to be diverted to East Midlands Airport.
She told the Mirror: "It’s absolute carnage!
"Yesterday's flight from Podgorica to Gatwick at 2.15 cancelled with no available flight until Tuesday this week. No help or advice given so we booked a flight with Ryanair to Krakow last night.
"Stayed over for four hours in the airport, boarded a delayed Wizzair flight this morning at 6.20am to Luton. On approach we were informed that we could not land due to electricity outage and were re-routed to East Midlands.
"Kept on that plane for 90 minutes and no help at the airport and no clue when replacement buses are to arrive."
Several affected people have taken to social media following this morning's power cut.
One unhappy passenger said: "Not a single flight boarding from @LDNLutonAirport Luton following 6.30am power cut."
Another, who is already in the air, ominously added: "Luton has no electricity so our flight from Krakow has now landed in East Midlands."
Aircraft tracking site Sky Scanner showed some flights are being diverted to other airports in the UK- with one having to land in Paris as a result of the disruption.
The issues are also affecting those on the ground waiting to pick up their loved ones.
One person complained: "Thank you for diverting my daughter’s flight to East Midlands airport instead.
" Shouldn’t all systems be covered by battery and generator backup to ensure there isn’t this kind of disruption?
"Many companies have to do this for their computer systems. Aircraft navigation is a must."
As many as twelve flights are thought to have been cancelled so far today at the airport.
Thousands of Brits have faced travel chaos this week, amid warnings the nightmares which ruined the half-term breaks for thousands of families could last into 2023.
The message from the boss of Britain’s biggest union, Unite, will spell misery for millions who haven’t had a getaway since the pandemic started in 2020.
And it will be cold comfort for the passengers who this week faced huge queues to check in or collect baggage and waited hours for flights to take off or had their trips cancelled altogether.
Today some were hit with more travel hell as they tried to fly home – and experts predicted the chaos could be even worse today as thousands more return from their breaks.
Bad weather has also hit and the Met Office has issued a number of yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain across the UK today.
