Barcelona-El Prat Airport control tower power failure

An electrical failure in the control tower at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport caused a suspension of takeoffs and landings. Initial reports indicated that the outage forced air traffic controllers to regulate traffic, leading to significant delays and aircraft waiting on the ground. Aena reported that power was restored approximately one hour after the failure was identified, though operations were restored progressively with increased spacing between landing aircraft.

Subsequent details revealed that the outage affected radar screens, flight plan displays, voice communication systems, and meteorological information. While Aena reported the incident lasted about 15 minutes, air traffic controllers stated the disruption lasted approximately one and a half hours, during which they managed flights manually using “pencil and paper.”

The incident resulted in 10 diverted flights, 24 cancellations, and 224 delayed flights, with Ryanair reporting approximately 6,000 affected passengers. The Unión Sindical de Controladores Aéreos (USCA) has demanded a formal investigation, calling the loss of power at a major European airport “unacceptable,” while Enaire maintained that safety protocols were upheld.