Christmas is cancelled: 70,000 homes still without power and Gatwick Airport resembles a disaster zone without TOILETS as 75 flights are axed

Thousands of passengers were stuck at Gatwick today as they battled to get home for Christmas after 75 flights to and from the airport were cancelled because of power cuts following last night's storm.

EasyJet has been forced to cancel 53 flights while British Airways were forced to axe 22 services as a result of the problems at the North Terminal caused by the failure of two substations. In addition, six easyJet flights have been postponed until
tomorrow because of the disruption.
Both airlines were scrambling to swap passengers onto alternative flights with empty seats in an effort to get as many people as possible to their destination before tomorrow.
British Airways were telling passengers at Gatwick their bags may not be put on the plane as a result of the disruption.
Separately, 70,000 homes remain without power this afternoon as suppliers face a race against time to restore electricity before tomorrow. However, UK Power Networks said 'thousands' of people will not get supplies back before tomorrow.
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Christmas chaos: Passengers wait underneath a blank departure board at Gatwick Airport as a power cut causes chaos today with people battling to get home for tomorrow

Christmas chaos: Luggage is piled up in the North Terminal at Gatwick as the airport is hit by severe delays today

Makeshift departure board: Staff at the airport had to improvise after the power failures

Chaos: People lie on the floor next to a Christmas tree in the North Terminal at Gatwick as the airport is hit by severe disruption

Bag chaos: Luggage is piled up in the North Terminal at Gatwick today as weather plunged the airport into chaos

Travel chaos: Bags are piled up inside the North Terminal at Gatwick Airport where there was a power cut earlier as travellers try and get home in time for Christmas. The picture was taken by traveller Daniel Cawthorne

Queues: Hundreds of passengers are seen in the North Terminal at Gatwick Airport after a power failure which was causing disruption

Frustrated: easyJet customers were suffering the worst of the problems, with 38 flights cancelled