Power outage at JFK Airport

The outage, which may have been related to storms near the airport, has shut down elevators, escalators, and checked baggage screening, said American Airlines officials.

Police evacuated Terminal 8 as a precaution around 9:30 p.m. Sunday after receiving a 911 call reporting the sound of a gunshot near the departures area.

Terminal 8 is the same section of the airport that was put on lockdown Sunday night after reports of gunshots inside the terminal.

Power has been interrupted to certain areas of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8, and we are working closely with local authorities to resolve the situation as soon as possible.

“We are now offering additional flexibility that may allow you to change your travel plans without a fee”, said company spokesman Ross Feinstein. Visit aa.com/travelalerts for more information. It’s encouraging travelers to arrive at least two hours prior to departure.

Several airline passengers also tweeted that their flights were being diverted from the airport; one passenger said his flight was being sent to Buffalo, WPIX-TV reported. As of 5 p.m., there were delays of 2 hours at JFK and Newark Airports, and 2 hours 15 minutes at LaGuardia. Stay with abc7NY for the latest on this developing story.