Britain’s Heathrow airport stops functioning for a day after big fire snaps power, disrupts flights

London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in the world, remained completely shut throughout Friday after a major fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a significant power outage. The blaze resulted in widespread flight disruptions, impacting passengers and airline operations on a global scale.

The fire, which broke out at an electricity facility close to the airport, led to a complete loss of power, making it impossible for Heathrow to function normally. Due to safety concerns for both passengers and airport staff, authorities decided to suspend all flight operations for the entire day.

In an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Heathrow Airport confirmed the closure, stating, “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.” The airport also urged travelers not to proceed to Heathrow, as flight operations had been suspended indefinitely. The power failure not only grounded departures but also forced inbound flights to divert to alternative locations, causing widespread chaos.

Flights Diverted Across Multiple Countries Due to Heathrow Shutdown

The sudden closure of Heathrow forced numerous airlines to reroute their scheduled flights to different airports across Europe and beyond. Some planes that were already in mid-air had to alter their flight paths, while others turned back to their points of origin.

For example, Qantas Airways, the flagship carrier of Australia, was forced to redirect its flight from Perth to Paris, instead of its intended destination of London. Similarly, a United Airlines flight that was originally bound for New York had to be diverted to Shannon, Ireland, due to the Heathrow shutdown.

In some cases, flights were already well into their journeys when they had to make unexpected changes. Several transatlantic flights from the United States were forced to either return to their departure airports or land at alternative locations. One such instance was a United Airlines flight that had taken off from San Francisco, expecting to land in London, but was ultimately rerouted to Washington, DC instead.

This large-scale flight disruption caused immense inconvenience for thousands of passengers who were either stranded at departure airports or forced to deal with sudden changes in their travel plans.

Firefighters Battle Large Blaze as Cause Remains Unknown

As the disruption unfolded, the London Fire Brigade reported that a team of around 70 firefighters was deployed to battle the fire that had erupted in west London. Eyewitnesses described seeing intense “orange flames shooting into the sky” as firefighters worked tirelessly to contain the situation and prevent further damage.

Despite the extensive fire-fighting efforts, authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the blaze. The incident not only affected airport operations but also triggered a significant power outage in the surrounding areas, leaving many homes and businesses in the dark.

As a safety precaution, emergency responders took swift action to evacuate nearby residents. According to the fire brigade, at least 29 people were rescued from neighboring buildings, while approximately 150 residents were evacuated from their homes as a preventive measure.

While efforts are ongoing to resolve the crisis, Heathrow Airport officials have been unable to provide a clear estimate of when power will be fully restored. In an email response to Reuters, a Heathrow spokesperson admitted that there was “no clear timeline” for when normal operations could resume.

Given the scale of the outage, disruptions to flight schedules are expected to continue beyond the initial shutdown. The airport has warned travelers to stay updated with their airlines regarding alternative arrangements.

Eurocontrol, the agency responsible for managing air traffic control across Europe, confirmed on its official website that Heathrow had suspended all incoming flights due to the power outage. The organization also indicated that detailed diversion plans had already been put in place to manage the overflow of affected flights at other airports.

Global Impact on Airline Operations

Aviation industry experts have emphasized the far-reaching impact of Heathrow’s closure on international flight operations. Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for Flight Radar24, a global flight tracking service, commented on the severity of the disruption, stating, “This is going to disrupt airlines’ operations around the world.”

With Heathrow being Europe’s busiest airport and the world’s fifth-busiest aviation hub, the shutdown has affected not only travelers in the UK but also passengers on connecting flights from different continents. Airlines and travel operators are now scrambling to accommodate displaced passengers while adjusting their schedules to minimize further disruptions.

As authorities work to resolve the power crisis and determine the cause of the fire, passengers are being advised to check with their respective airlines before heading to the airport, as further delays and cancellations remain highly likely in the coming days.