Heathrow Airport will remain closed all day today (March 21) after a fire broke out at a nearby electrical substation that supplies it with power.
As the world’s second-busiest airport, Heathrow has warned of “significant disruption” in the coming days and has urged passengers not to travel under any circumstances until operations resume.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24at least 1,351 flights to and from the airport could be cancelled today, with ripple effects expected to impact flights far beyond Heathrow.
The fire, which broke out at the substation in Hayeshas left more than 4,900 homes without power and led to the evacuation of 150 people from surrounding properties.
Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the fire.
In a statement, the airport said: “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 on 21 March. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
What do we know so far?
A fire at a substation in West London has triggered a power outage, leaving Heathrow Airport without electricity and forcing its closure until at least midnight on March 21, Friday. The shutdown is expected to disrupt hundreds of flights and affect thousands of passengers.
A Heathrow spokesperson stated there is “no clarity on when power may be reliably restored” but assured that staff are “working as hard as possible to resolve the situation.”
More than 16,300 homes have been left without power due to the fire in Hayes.
The London Fire Brigade has deployed around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines to battle the blaze on Nestles Avenue.
The fire in Hayes has also left thousands of homes without power and led to the evacuation of around 150 people from nearby properties.
What flights/airlines have been affected?
British Airways
British Airways has advised customers to avoid traveling to the airport until further notice.
“This situation will significantly impact our operations and customers, and we are working as quickly as possible to provide updates on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond,” the airline said in a statement.
“Where possible, we are redirecting inbound flights already en route to Heathrow to other UK airports.”
Virgin Atlantic
According to a statement given to CNBC – “All Virgin Atlantic arriving and departing flights are canceled until 21:30 on March 21, with the remainder of today’s schedule under review,” the airline said in an emailed statement. “We kindly ask customers not to travel to Heathrow or their departure airport, nor contact our customer centre at this time. Instead, they should check their flight status at virginatlantic.com.”
Airborne Virgin Atlantic flights are being diverted to other UK airports or returning to their departure points.
The airline will email affected passengers with rebooking details, though some may need to travel on a different date or through an alternative airport due to limited availability.
Passengers who no longer wish to travel due to a canceled flight are eligible for a refund.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa has canceled all flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from Heathrow on Friday, the airline told CNBC.
“Passengers affected by the cancellations have been rebooked on alternative flights and notified accordingly,” a spokesperson said via email. “This is dependent on having contact details, such as an email or phone number, included in the booking.”
Emirates
Emirates announced on Friday that it had canceled six flights to and from Heathrow.
“Passengers connecting to flights to London Heathrow will not be accepted for travel until further notice at the point of origin,” the airline stated. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will update our customers as it develops.”
Travelers booked with Emirates to or from Heathrow can rebook to other UK airports or choose to travel on a later date.
Cathay Pacific
“All Cathay flights from London to Hong Kong on March 21 have also been canceled,” the airline said. “We are assessing the situation and will provide customers with the latest updates.”
United Airlines
United Airlines reported that seven of its flights were diverted or returned to their departure airports due to Heathrow’s closure. The airline also announced that all flights to Heathrow on Friday had been canceled.
“We are working with our customers to offer alternative travel options,” the carrier said in a statement.
Swiss
Swiss announced the cancellation of all flights from Zurich and Geneva to Heathrow on Friday, affecting nearly 3,000 passengers.
“As a precautionary measure, all flights from Switzerland to and from Heathrow have been closed for sale on Saturday, March 22,” the airline stated. “SWISS deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and hopes that the situation at Heathrow will return to normal soon.”
Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways said on Friday that seven of its flights had been impacted by the Heathrow closure.
“Qatar Airways is working closely with Heathrow airport officials. Passengers affected by this will be assisted by our customer care and airport teams,” the airline added.
Aer Lingus Flights
All 34 flights between Dublin Airport and Heathrow scheduled for Friday have been canceled, Irish officials have confirmed.
Passengers planning to travel between the two airports over the weekend may also face disruptions. Further cancellations in the coming days remain a possibility.
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has announced multiple flight cancellations and diversions due to the closure of Heathrow Airport.
Four flights scheduled to depart from London today have been canceled, along with one flight from Singapore.
Additionally, a flight that had already departed from Singapore is returning, while two London-bound flights have been diverted to Frankfurt and Paris.
