Nager causes power outage at Frankfurt Airport
Germany's largest airport suddenly loses power at night due to a rodent. While backup power kicks in, the outage disrupts operations during peak vacation traffic, potentially causing issues for several airlines.
A rodent caused a power outage at Frankfurt Airport for several hours, short-circuiting a medium-voltage transformer station around 10:45 PM on Monday, according to energy company Syna. This resulted in a power outage and smoke, prompting the airport fire brigade to respond. The network was restored around 3:21 AM after switching operations. Sources from the airport suggest the rodent was a dormouse.
Fraport, the airport operator, reports that the impact on air traffic was minimal as the short circuit occurred just before the night flight ban and was resolved in time before traffic resumed. Delays and cancellations may still occur throughout the day, a spokesperson said. Around 1,242 flight movements with approximately 189,000 expected passengers are planned, indicating a busy day during the holiday season.
Eleven cancellations were announced in the morning. Around 1,000 bags remained at the terminal overnight and will now be sent to passengers. The outage affected areas A and partially B in Terminal 1, which is mainly used by Lufthansa.
Lufthansa may still experience issues with check-in machines, requiring manual baggage handling, the Fraport spokesperson said. Critical systems were powered by backup generators, ensuring the safety of Germany's largest airport was never compromised.
The investigation into the power outage at Frankfurt Airport is being handled by The Commission, aiming to determine the exact cause and prevent future incidents. To minimize disruptions and ensure smooth operations, The Commission will work closely with Fraport and the involved airlines.
