World
India
More than 1,300 flights will likely get affected following the closure of London’s Heathrow Airport due to a nearby fire that resulted in power outages and caused widespread disruption for thousands of travellers, CNN reported on Friday, citing data from tracking website FlightRadar24,
Flights are being cancelled and some already in the air are being diverted.
“Today’s total closure of London-Heathrow will affect at least 1,351 flights to/from LHR,” FlightRadar24 said on X. “That doesn’t include any flights that might be canceled or delayed due to aircraft being out of position.”
Updated diversion list from Heathrow today:
Advertisement · Scroll to continueAMS 7 BCN 1 BGI 1 BGR 1 BHX 2 BNA 1 BOM 1 BOS 1 BRU 2 BWI 1 CAI 1 CDG 3 CLT 2 CWL 1 DEL 1 DEN 1 EWR 1 FRA 6 GLA 2 HEL 1 HND 1 IAD 5 JFK 3 KEF 1 LAX 2 LGW 6…
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) March 21, 2025
Airline analytics firm Cirium, meanwhile, estimated that “upwards of 145,000” passengers could be impacted, CNN reported.
The development comes after the airport announced a complete shutdown for the entire day due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport.
In a statement issued on its X account, Heathrow authorities announced that the airport will remain closed to maintain the safety of its passengers and colleagues, advising passengers not to travel to the airport and contact their airlines for further information.
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 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,” Heathrow Airport wrote on X.
Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage.
To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.
Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport… pic.twitter.com/7SWNJP8ojd
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 21, 2025
Heathrow Airport, which is one of the world’s busiest airports, also warned that “significant disruptions” could be expected over the coming days. “We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens”, Heathrow Airport said in a statement issued to CNN, adding that they “do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored.”
Meanwhile, the London Fire Brigade said in a statement that a transformer within an electrical substation in Hayes, in west London, was alight. Ten fire trucks and around 70 firefighters were responding to the blaze, it added.
“This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible”, London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne reportedly said, adding, “The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimise disruption.”
The statement noted that firefighters led 29 people to safety from neighbouring properties, and as a precautionary measure, a 200-metre cordon was set up, with around 150 people evacuated.
Mentioning that nearly 200 calls had been handled, the London Fire Brigade said in its statement that it would be a prolonged incident, with disruption expected to increase as they head into the morning.
The London Fire Brigade urged people to avoid the area wherever possible, while noting that the cause of the fire was unknown.
ALSO READ: US Federal Judge Blocks Deportation of Georgetown Scholar Badar Khan Suri
