Flights at Liverpool John Lennon airport are severely disrupted due to a power failure affecting the air-traffic control tower.

Just before 2pm, the airport posted on X: “Unfortunately, a power failure is impacting air-traffic control and aircraft operations are temporarily suspended.

“Passengers, or those meeting flights, should contact their airline for the latest flight information. Engineers are working to resolve this as soon as possible.”

At least five inbound flights, mainly on easyJet have been diverted. Inbound arrivals from Barcelona and Faro landed at Birmingham, while easyJet’s planes from Jersey and Enfidha in Tunisia are at Manchester.

The easyJet departure to Belfast International was cancelled, along with the return flight.

A single Jet2 arrival from Palma de Mallorca has diverted to Manchester.

Responses on X included the suggestion: “Have you tried turning it on and off again?”

Another suggested: “Hope this has nothing to do with Russia targeting power grids in their latest round of cyber attacks on the UK.”

The airport has now said: “Our engineers have resolved the earlier air traffic control power issue, and aircraft operations have now resumed.”

Many passengers had boarded their flights when the failure occurred, and are still on the ground. A Ryanair flight to Alicante took off nearly three hours late, while the easyJet departure to Malaga is currently showing a four-hour delay.

One passenger on the latter flight, Clare Hamlin, posted: “Flight to Malaga 1.50, not left, still sat waiting for update. Airport is chokka, seen one flight leaving. Not happy.”

Another traveller, Donal Doherty, wrote from a plane waiting to leave for Liverpool: “There is a full Ryanair flight sitting here at Dublin airport since 1.30pm. Hopefully we will get airborne soon.”

Disruption is likely to continue for the rest of the day. The 9pm easyJet flight from Liverpool to Belfast is currently scheduled to take off shortly before 1am.

The airport is advising passengers due to travel today or those meeting arriving travellers to contact their airline.