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DENVER (KDVR) — An Xcel Energy power outage and the threat of bad weather affected some flights Wednesday afternoon at Denver International Airport.

Xcel said an equipment failure caused the outage.

Passengers said the power went out just after 3 p.m. Xcel had it restored before 3:45 p.m..

“We understand that losing power, especially at a large facility like the airport, is an inconvenience. We appreciate our customers patience as we worked to resolve the issue as quickly and safely as possible,” Xcel said in a statement.

Airport officials said the airport sees more than 1,700 flights per day, but only 80 flights were affected by the outage. Some travelers experienced missed connections but were rebooked.

The airport said that flights that were in the air at the time of the outage were still able to land, but flights coming to Denver that hadn’t taken off yet were held.

Other passengers said they had to remain in their seats on the runway for around 40 minutes.

“You’re sitting in this tiny little space, and you’re all cramped up. It’s just — you want to get out,” they said.

Flights leaving Denver were able to take off. But because of the incoming delays, some outgoing flights were impacted.

Xcel said redundancy is built into the electric system around the airport, and a plan is in place to address electric power issues. The airport also has a backup system.

According to Flightaware.com, more than 600 flights at DIA were delayed for various reasons by late afternoon on Wednesday.  Travel experts advise anyone planning on air travel to make sure to check flight status.