Thousands of travelers impacted by power outage at BWI Airport
Thousands of travelers were impacted by a power outage at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport that delayed more than 150 flights and diverted many incoming flights on Monday, according to BWI Airport officials.
The power was restored around 11:15 a.m., about two hours after the outage halted flights and left the areas of the main terminal and the hourly garage in the dark.
A Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) Company spokesperson said the outage was caused by a downed powerline about five miles away in Severn.
"We walked into it," BWI passenger Wanda Holmes said.
During the outage, officials said some airlines were using air stairs to deplane incoming passengers while personnel worked toward a full power restoration.
"When I showed up here at the terminal, some folks waiting outside let me know that the power was out," added BWI passenger Ty Jacobs.
Flights delayed, canceled
A ground stop was in effect from 9:03 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) website.
The outage disrupted dozens of flights. According to FlightAware, as of 7 p.m., BWI had 181 delays and 52 cancellations.
Airport staff distributed water to customers in the terminal, BWI said in a statement.
The ground stop was for arrivals, but some departing flights were also impacted, according to the FAA.
Around 9:30 a.m., BWI officials said that inbound flights were being diverted due to the outage.
Travelers are encouraged to continue checking the status of their flight with the airline, as airlines are still working to restore their operations. BWI said it "may take some time" for the airlines to resume operations as normal.
"We're advising customers to check with their airline before coming," said Jawana Green, the Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs at BWI.
Aviation concerns
The outage only impacted the airport, according to officials, but it comes as many Americans have expressed concerns about the safety of flying after a series of plane crashes and aviation incidents across the U.S.
Just last week, a plane crashed in Vermont after taking off from Martin State Airport in Middle River. The crash left a Maryland pilot and his two adult children injured and prompted an investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
In January, 67 people died after an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter were involved in a mid-air collision over Washington, D.C. Both crashed into the Potomac River.
Two days later, a medical plane crashed in Philadelphia, Pa., leaving seven people dead.
