Flights departing from Stansted Airport are operating as normal after a large fire broke out on a bus.

The airport had cancelled all departing flights until midnight on Friday after an electrical fault caused the passenger shuttle bus outside the building to catch fire.

Passengers were told to leave the area and advised to re-book flights.

Stansted baggage system reduced to this. pic.twitter.com/JUrlglIILW — Andy (@andykaraji) March 30, 2018

The terminal forecourt and surrounding area including parts of the terminal building were evacuated due to smoke.

At around 5pm on Friday, the Essex airport confirmed the fire had been put out after four fire crews had been sent to the scene.


Image: The shuttle bus at Stansted was destroyed in the fire. Credit: @DareMe_UK

Many holiday-goers complained of poor communication and disorder during the evacuation.

Image: The bus fire prompted an evacuation of the airport. Credit: @DareMe_UK

Taylor Fulton-Ward, 18, from Hertfordshire, who was flying to Dublin with her family for the Easter weekend, said: "Announcements were telling us to leave the building, but the doors were not open - so people began pushing and panicking."

I honestly don't know who made all the calls tonight at #Stansted but that was so poorly managed. Bloody chaos and putting people through so much hell for nothing. No one got to fly! A bus caught on fire outside the building. Why did everything else fall apart?! pic.twitter.com/tfKkvRH9C8 — SFW (@cinnamonwalsh) March 30, 2018

We’re at RyanAir Gate 57 waiting with hundreds of people with no communication from anyone and we were just told that we now have to leave and go through security again because people had to go through security without being checked in order to evacuate. — Evan Roth (@eviansf) March 30, 2018

Evan Roth tweeted: "We’re at RyanAir Gate 57 waiting with hundreds of people with no communication from anyone and we were just told that we now have to leave and go through security again because people had to go through security without being checked in order to evacuate."

Another traveller, whose Twitter username is Sam, posted a video showing the bus engulfed in flames.

He later posted a photo showing a huge crowd, saying: "What's happening? @STN_Airport we can't hear your announcements".

A spokesman for the airport said some exits were cordoned off to protect passengers from the burning bus, which was very close to some of the doors, but staff were doing all they could to guide passengers to alternative exits.

The airport later tweeted things would be returning to normal: "Following the earlier incident involving a shuttle bus fire on the terminal forecourt, we confirm that the Airport will be open tomorrow and flights are expected to operate as normal.

"Passengers are advised to check the latest flight information with their airlines."