Hundreds Of Holiday Travelers Reportedly Stranded At The Airport

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the U.K. has some questions for management at Gatwick Airport following a situation described as chaotic on Christmas Eve.

Hundreds of holiday travelers were reportedly stranded at the airport after power was cut at Gatwick's North Terminal, which led to flight cancellations and lengthy delays, according to a report from the U.K. newspaper The Mirror. Compounding the traveler’s frustrations was a lack of information from the airport staff, the paper said.

The CAA said it wanted the airport's management team to determine exactly what caused the power outage. A spokesman said "We need to know exactly what happened at the airport. Once we have that information we can decide if there is any further action we need to take."

The search for a cause is focusing on flooding in the area due to heavy rains over the holiday period. A spokesman for the airport said that the River Mole overflowed its banks, and water got into the airport electrical substations. Thousands of people in the region were left without power in the days leading up to Christmas due to the flooding, according to the paper.

FMI: www.caa.co.uk