A midday power outage at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport turned Thursday travel plans into a slow shuffle, with long lines and delays after the airport's utility service went down shortly after 12 p.m. The blackout hit TSA screening, check-in and baggage claim, and some airlines held departures while ground crews checked equipment. Passengers reported crawling lines as staff rerouted baggage and worked around systems that were suddenly offline.
According to FOX 8, airport officials said the Hopkins utility service "experienced a disruption" shortly after noon and warned that travelers "may experience delays in processing and baggage handling." Crews began investigating the outage and coordinating with airline partners to contain the fallout. Officials did not give a timetable for full restoration but said teams were actively working to bring everything back online.
Flights and delays
The airport's online listings showed a handful of departures marked as delayed Thursday afternoon, with some carriers holding boarding while ground power and baggage systems were evaluated, according to the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport website. Travelers were urged to monitor their airline's alerts for gate information, possible rebooking options and updated departure times, and to build in extra time for security.
For real-time information, officials pointed travelers to the airport's flight-status tool and to airline notices, which typically post delay details and gate changes as they happen.
Airport response
Crew members were on site "investigating to get the power restored," airport officials told FOX 8, adding that they were working closely with airline partners to reroute baggage where possible. Ground operations continued in areas of the terminal supported by backup systems while technicians traced the source of the outage.
Officials said they would keep local media updated as power returned and systems came back online, so that airlines and passengers could adjust plans accordingly.
Not the first outage
This is not the first time Hopkins has had to navigate the dark. Strong storms in August 2024 knocked out power to parts of the terminal and briefly halted operations, according to reporting by WOIO. That earlier incident highlighted how dependent the airport is on municipal utilities and on-site backup power, and it raised questions about how resilient the facility can be during severe weather or other disruptions.
Airport leaders have since pointed to ongoing modernization projects, but when the power cuts out, headaches for travelers tend to follow.
What travelers should do
Anyone scheduled to fly out of CLE this evening is being urged to check flight status before heading to the airport and to allow extra time once they get there, especially for security screening and baggage processing. Airlines typically post rebooking options for delayed flights through their apps, websites and text alerts.
The airport's flight-status page and your airline's notifications remain the fastest way to track gate changes and delay times. Airport officials said they will post updates as power is restored and encouraged passengers who run into trouble to contact their airlines directly for assistance.
