'Bewildered' Brit stranded in Spain as blackout causes chaos

A Brit stranded in Spain says passengers in the country's airports have been left "bewildered" by that has left millions without power. , with parts of

Both airports and public services affected have been affected by the power outrage Arrivals and departures are delayed at Valencia airport and Madrid's Barajas international, the latter is still without power. Speaking exclusively to the Express Kevin Smith, who is stranded at Valencia Airport, says travellers are in a confused state.

He said: "I have been here two and a half hours so far.

"A lot of people seem bewildered but not panicking. I think the airport is a 'good' place to be as I presume they have generators so that they can keep the lights on.

"I am flying with Lufthansa but I haven't heard any official announcements from the airport.

"The shops are still open - I have just had a coffee and a sandwich."

Kevin was travelling via public transport to the airport when suddenly the metro was plunged into darkness and all passengers were evacuated.

"I arrived at Valencia airport. A couple of hours ago I got as far as being sat on the Metro when the lights went out, and after a while they told everyone to leave because of the blackout", said Kevin.

"Then I waited for a while for a bus but when people were saying that traffic lights weren't working, I thought I had better sit it out for a while and see what happens.

"We don't know what has caused this power outage. But we do know that in a climate-changed world, power disruptions become more common.

"The most reliable and consistent form of power is renewable energy. A system with enough renewables has the flexibility to deal with these eventualities."

Backup generators have been activated across Spain's airports, acccording to Aena, the public body that owns and operates the majority of airports in Spain.

The company said: "Due to the power outage, some incidents are occurring at the aeropuertos. Backup generators are active.

"Check with your airline, as there could be issues with access and ground transportation."

Spanish power grid operator Red Electrica says it could take up to 10 hours to restore power.

The Spanish government has convened a crisis meeting at the offices of Red Electrica due to the outage, according to the El Pais newspaper in the country.