Passengers at Gatwick Airport spent Sunday crossing their legs and queuing for toilets after a power failure cut off running water across both terminals, forcing all bars and restaurants to close.
The UK’s second busiest airport lost water supply in the morning when a power failure hit SES Water’s Bough Beech treatment works, which also serves parts of Kent, Surrey and south London. Water pressure began returning shortly before 19:15 BST, but for hours travellers faced confusion and frustration.
“Power failure cuts water at Gatwick; passengers face closed toilets and bars for hours.”
“Gasping for a drink and crossing my legs right now. This is ridiculous!” one passenger posted on Facebook. Another, Paul Lee, told the BBC he had heard no announcements and seen no bottled water distributed. “For people who need to go to the toilet, this isn’t good,” he said. “I’m taking off soon, so that’s fine, but for passengers in a few hours, this will be bad.”
Staff handed out bottled water and additional teams were deployed, but some travellers complained of being left without information. Former MP Michael Dugher, now the government’s “music champion”, urged the airport on social media: “At least allow people to use the chairs in all the closed restaurants and bars. No water is one thing but depriving people of somewhere to sit is another… families are having to sit on the floor.”
Gatwick apologised and said it was working with SES Water to minimise disruption. “Our staff are on hand to support passengers and provide assistance where needed,” a spokesperson said, adding that some restaurant partners had opened to provide extra seating. The airport confirmed no flights were cancelled.
SES Water said the power outage was fixed but the network would take time to fully recover, describing it as “a highly unusual and complex issue”. In a statement the company added: “We want to reiterate that our teams are working as quickly as they possibly can and we are grateful for everyone’s patience.”
By late evening, water pressure was returning to normal, but the episode left passengers questioning why contingency plans appeared so limited. With hundreds stranded and facilities still reopening, the question remains: how will Gatwick ensure such a basic failure does not happen again?