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Power surge disrupts security, baggage and immigration at Stansted Airport

A power surge affecting Stansted Airport and the local area knocked out or slowed security, baggage and immigration systems on 25 October, causing long queues. The airport later said all systems were back in service.

5 outlets · 2L · 1C · 2R First reported Account updated
Image: GB News
Image: BBC News
Image: Metro
Image: Daily Express
Image: Daily Mirror

1 / 5

The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2A power surge that affected London Stansted Airport and the local area on Sunday 25 October disrupted a number of airport systems, leaving passengers in long queues. Right · 2The Daily Express and GB News reported that baggage handling, security and immigration were affected, with queues at security and passport control. Centre · 1Passenger Jill Stakem told the BBC the airport's internal tram system had failed and people were "being held in a corridor for over 90 minutes", with "no communication, no seating for people".

Centre · 1Another passenger, Gilles Corby, said queues to passport control extended into the departure terminals and that it took 45 minutes to reach the entrance of the immigration queue. Right · 1Posts on X quoted by the Daily Express described a "total systemic collapse" and said a public announcement came only after two hours. Right · 1In an earlier statement carried by the Daily Express, an airport spokesperson said most systems were back in operation but some, including security and baggage, were not at full capacity.

Mixed · 2By the evening, the BBC and GB News quoted the airport as saying "all systems are now back in service", and it apologised for disruption and inconvenience. Centre · 1The airport's shuttle service remained out of service due to a technical fault, and contingency buses carried passengers between the terminal and gates. Right · 1GB News added that the transit train is due to be decommissioned next year.

Centre · 1The BBC noted that last month hundreds of people were stuck in an airport corridor after a shuttle service for arriving passengers stopped. Right · 3Separately, rail disruption hit the airport that weekend: the BBC said some trains were cancelled on Saturday after overhead power line damage, while the Express and GB News linked dozens of Stansted Express cancellations to fallen trees and Storm Boelo respectively.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre1 outlet

Framing
Measured report led by a passenger's account of being held in a corridor for 90 minutes, with airport statements and an apology.
Emphasis
Passenger testimony, airport statements, and the precedent of last month's corridor incident.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention social-media 'systemic collapse' posts or the planned decommissioning of the tram.
For example
“A passenger says she was trapped in a corridor at the airport for 90 minutes.” — BBC News

Right2 outlets

Framing
Dramatic 'chaos' framing built on passenger complaints and social media posts, stressing the scale of queues and delays.
Emphasis
Hours-long queues, 'total systemic collapse' quote, lack of communication; GB News adds tram decommissioning and Storm Boelo.
Leaves out or plays down
The Express does not report the later 'all systems back' statement; neither mentions last month's corridor incident.
Charged language
“chaos”“descends into chaos”“total systemic collapse”
For example
“UK airport power cut chaos as hundreds face 'two-hour security queues' and baggage delays” — Daily Express
“British airport descends into chaos after power cut leaves commuters facing hours-long waits” — GB News

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