London Stansted Airport faces flight delays due to small fire

London Stansted Airport said on Wednesday that some early morning flights were delayed after a small fire in an airport lounge led to the temporary closure of its main security area.

The incident took place at around 3:30 a.m. BST when the fire broke out, creating smoke inside the terminal. The airport confirmed that the fire was quickly extinguished, but the affected area was evacuated as a precaution and passenger screening was halted to safeguard health and safety.

By 6 a.m., about 20 minutes after the first flight was scheduled to depart, security screening resumed. However, airport spokesperson Mark Davison cautioned that flight operations would continue to face disruption.


“There will definitely be delays just because passengers haven't been able to get to their flights,” Davison said in a brief phone interview. He added that the extent of delays would also depend on how individual airlines adjust their schedules.

London Stansted, located north of London, is one of the busiest airports serving the capital, handling both domestic and international traffic.