Flights at Heathrow Airport began resuming late on Friday after a massive fire at a power substation caused widespread disruption, forcing the closure of one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs.
The shutdown left thousands of passengers stranded, leading to global travel disruptions and significant financial losses for airlines.
The fire, which broke out on Thursday night near the airport, caused a critical power failure, bringing all flight operations to a halt. Heathrow officials said emergency teams worked tirelessly to restore services, with limited flights operating on Friday to reposition aircraft and crew.
“By tomorrow morning, we expect to be back to full operations,” said Heathrow’s Chief Executive Thomas Woldbye. “We sincerely apologise to all passengers affected.”
The temporary closure impacted an estimated 1,351 flights, affecting up to 291,000 passengers. Flights were diverted to alternate airports in the UK and Europe, while some long-haul flights returned to their departure points.
No Indication of Foul Play, Says Police
Authorities ruled out any immediate security threats, but counter-terrorism officials were leading the investigation due to the critical nature of the infrastructure. British Transport Minister Heidi Alexander stated that while the situation was beyond Heathrow’s control, a full inquiry would be conducted.
“There are no indications of foul play at this stage, but investigations remain ongoing,” she said.
The London Fire Brigade confirmed that around 25,000 litres of cooling oil in the substation’s transformer had caught fire, causing extensive damage. Firefighters worked overnight to bring the blaze under control, leaving the structure covered in white firefighting foam.
Airline industry faces huge losses
Airline operators expressed frustration over the disruption, questioning how a single fire could cripple one of the world’s most critical transport hubs.
“You would think Heathrow would have significant backup power,” a senior executive from a European airline told Reuters.
Heathrow officials defended their response, stating that backup generators allowed them to land aircraft and evacuate passengers safely. However, they acknowledged that full operations could not be sustained on emergency power alone.
“This incident highlights a weak point in the system,” Woldbye admitted. “But no infrastructure can be 100% protected against every possible scenario.”
The shutdown is expected to cost the airline industry tens of millions of pounds, with shares of multiple airline operators—including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and major US carriers—falling in response to the crisis.
Passengers face travel chaos
Stranded travellers at Heathrow scrambled to make alternate arrangements, with many expressing frustration over the lack of clear communication.
“It’s incredibly stressful,” said Robyn Autry, a New York-bound passenger. “I don’t know how much it will cost me to fix this.”
Hotel prices around Heathrow surged, with some rooms listed at £500—five times the usual rate—as desperate travellers sought accommodation.
Aviation experts compared the disruption to the 2010 Icelandic volcanic ash cloud crisis, which grounded over 100,000 flights across Europe. The incident has renewed concerns over the resilience of the UK’s transport infrastructure.
Philip Ingram, a former British military intelligence officer, described the event as a wake-up call.
“There is no way Heathrow should be completely shut down due to a failure at one power substation,” he said.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office confirmed that a thorough investigation would take place to determine how such a critical failure occurred.
