WILLEMSTAD – Yesterday, passengers at Hato International Airport had to be manually checked in following a power outage that affected the airport's regular electricity supply provided by Aqualectra. According to airport spokesperson Fayna Haseth, a partial failure of the backup system further complicated the situation, making it impossible to process check-ins electronically. 

"The airport has organized its backup system in zones, which means that currently only the departure hall and the customs facilities in the arrival area are without power," Haseth explained. Technicians from both the airport and Aqualectra worked throughout the day to restore normal operations. 

Despite the disruption, Haseth noted that all other areas of the airport remained operational through their respective backup systems and continued functioning normally. "The manual check-in process is being handled efficiently," she said, emphasizing that the situation remained manageable because it was not during a peak period for incoming and outgoing flights. 

However, Haseth pointed out that a surge in activity was expected later in the afternoon, with five flights arriving from the United States, two from Canada, and three from the Netherlands, all of which were scheduled to depart again later in the afternoon and early evening. 

"We are optimistic that we will be fully up and running by then," Haseth said.