An electrical failure at SES Water’s Bough Beech water treatment works on 26 July 2026 cut running water to both terminals at London Gatwick Airport in Kent. The outage forced numerous airport restaurants and bars to close due to the lack of water supply.
Passenger Impact at Gatwick Airport
Both Gatwick terminals lost water, leading to long queues for toilets, some of which were shut or operating on emergency reserves. Passengers faced reduced seating options after many food outlets closed, with some families forced to sit on the floor. Packaged meal vendors remained open. EasyJet temporarily shortened bag drop desk availability to two hours before
departure, down from the usual three, to manage passenger flow. Flight delays were reported, including a nearly two-and-a-half-hour delay for a passenger flying to Lefkada, Greece. Adjusted landing slots were implemented to limit arriving flights.
Official Statements and Airline Advisories
Gatwick Airport confirmed there was no water supply in either terminal and apologized for the disruption. Its spokesperson said, “Our staff are on hand to support passengers and provide assistance where needed, some restaurant partners have opened to provide additional seating.” SES Water announced that power was restored at Bough Beech but added, “We now need to treat the water before returning services to normal
as quickly as we possibly can.” EasyJet advised travelers against early airport arrival due to the revised bag drop opening times. The airline stated, “Please do not arrive earlier, as you will not be able to drop off your bags or enter the departure lounge until bag drop opens.”
Criticism and Wider Regional Impact
Passengers criticized the airport’s handling of the outage. Paul Lee highlighted the lack of announcements and bottled water distribution, stating, “For people who need to go to the toilet, this isn’t good, and still no announcement or official information.” Former MP and UK Music chief executive Michael Dugher condemned the denial
of seating in closed restaurants, saying, “No water is one thing but depriving people of somewhere to sit is another… families are having to sit on the floor.” The outage also disrupted water services across parts of Kent, Surrey, and south London. SES Water reported the power failure affected these wider areas beyond Gatwick Airport.
