LAX struggling back to normalcy after Wednesday evening power outage

Operations at Los Angeles International Airport were returning to normal Thursday morning after a power outage knocked out electricity for nearly four hours, affecting everything from lighting to passenger bridges, from terminals to planes, before power was restored.

The outage struck about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday – caused by a power “bump” at an off-airport Los Angeles Department of Water and Power substation, which led to a power disruption throughout the airport.

There were 21 flight cancellations: 18 for Southwest Airlines, and three for United Airlines.  At least seven flights were diverted, and 15 endured delays.

Some Southwest passengers couldn’t leave their planes for a while, because the jet bridges, the walkway that links jets with the terminal, were not working.

Power was restored within an hour to terminals 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal.

Terminals 1, 7 and 8 had to lean on emergency power. Water and Power personnel were called in to restore power to those terminals and the city Department of Transportation was summoned to reset traffic signals in the terminal area.

Power was restored to those terminals by 10 p.m.

“Out of an abundance of caution, due to last night’s power disruption, guests this morning in Terminal 1 are being re-screened by TSA,” the airport Tweeted about 6 a.m. Thursday. “Airport police and TSA are sending additional officers to expedite the screening process.”