London’s Heathrow Airport has announced a complete shutdown for all of Friday due to a ‘significant power outage’ caused by a large fire at an electrical substation nearby. This has led to massive disruption at one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, with flights being forced to turn back midair or divert to other locations.
According to a statement from Heathrow Airport on X, the fire at the substation has resulted in a significant power outage. To ensure passenger and staff safety, the airport will remain closed until 23h59 on 21 March. The airport advises passengers not to travel to the airport under any circumstances until it reopens, as there is no clarity on when power may be reliably restored.
The fire occurred at a transformer in Hayes, a London suburb located near the airport, according to the London Fire Brigade. The cause of the fire is yet unknown. Dozens of firefighters were on the scene overnight, with 150 people evacuated. More than 16,000 homes have lost power, as reported by utility supplier Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.
Videos shared on social media showed flames and smoke rising into the air early Friday. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne urged people to avoid the area wherever possible as disruption is expected to increase.
Heathrow Airport, which handled about a quarter of a million passengers daily in 2023, is now largely dark amid the power outage. Aviation analyst Geoffrey Thomas stated that hundreds of flights are affected, including those coming from the United States, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
As of early Friday, the airport’s website showed multiple scheduled arrivals diverted or canceled. British passenger Christine, traveling from New York’s JFK airport, shared her experience of being stuck on the tarmac after learning about the closure mid-flight.
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 reported that more than 1,350 flights going in or out of Heathrow on Friday will be affected. Around 120 flights were in the air when the announcement came and had to be diverted or turned back.
Tesla analyst Geoffrey Thomas noted that while shorter domestic flights might turn back, this isn’t an option for long-haul international flights. Nearby airports like Gatwick and Stansted are likely at capacity, meaning diverted flights must go further to find an alternative place to land.
Authorities are working to contain the fire and manage the fallout, facing questions about why Heathrow wasn’t able to tap into a backup power source.
— news from CNN International