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London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in Europe, was forced to shut down early on Friday after a massive fire at a nearby electricity substation caused a major power outage. The unexpected closure led to widespread travel chaos, affecting hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers globally.
According to online flight tracking service FlightRadar24, around 120 flights bound for Heathrow were already in the air when the shutdown was announced.
#WATCH : Aerial visuals of Heathrow Airport, Rows of planes waiting to be called to the skies again.#HeathrowAirport #GroundedPlanes #AviationNews #London #UK #unitedKingdom pic.twitter.com/5Zv2fQ7SFd
— upuknews (@upuknews1) March 21, 2025
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Fire Breaks Out at Electricity Substation
The fire broke out at a power substation in Hayes, West London, prompting authorities to send around 70 firefighters to battle the flames. The London Fire Brigade was alerted to the fire at 11:23 PM (GMT) on Thursday night.
Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne stated that firefighters worked “tirelessly in challenging conditions” and managed to bring the fire under control by 8:00 AM on Friday. Around 150 people had to be evacuated from nearby buildings as a precaution.
Passengers Stranded as Terminals Go Dark
Videos shared on social media showed darkened airport corridors, closed shops, and passengers waiting in uncertainty. Emergency lighting was the only source of illumination inside the terminals.
Heathrow, which typically handles over 80 million passengers annually and operates around 1,300 daily take-offs and landings, warned that disruptions could last for several days. The airport operator advised travelers not to attempt to reach the airport until further notice.
“Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” the airport said in a statement. “Passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until it reopens.”
Heathrow really eerie this morning
A few pics from mostly empty terminals #Heathrow pic.twitter.com/Ced20Q8J9H— Marcus Rashid (@HanselRashid) March 21, 2025
Flights Diverted to Other Airports
As the crisis unfolded, several flights were rerouted to other airports. The UK’s second-busiest airport, Gatwick, confirmed it would accommodate some displaced flights. Meanwhile, at least six flights were diverted to Shannon Airport in Ireland.
Other major European airports, including Frankfurt in Germany and Paris Charles de Gaulle in France, also accepted diverted flights. Some airlines had to cancel or reroute long-haul flights mid-journey.
For instance, Australian airline Qantas had to divert two of its London-bound flights—one from Perth and another via Singapore—to Paris. Korean Air also reported a significant delay of 22 hours for a flight scheduled from Incheon, South Korea, to Heathrow.
United Airlines had to return seven of its London-bound flights to their original departure locations or divert them elsewhere. Additionally, all scheduled United Airlines flights to Heathrow for Friday were canceled.
Government Responds to Crisis
UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband assured the public that the government was working to restore power at Heathrow as soon as possible. He reported that the power outage had initially affected around 100,000 homes overnight, but electricity had been restored to all but approximately 4,000 by Friday morning.
Speculation about the cause of the fire has also arisen. Ruth Cadbury, chairwoman of the UK’s parliamentary transport committee, stated that it was “speculative” at this stage to assume arson was involved. However, she pointed out that the reliance of such a major airport on a single power substation raises concerns.
Passenger Frustrations Mount
Many passengers found themselves stranded as flights were abruptly canceled or delayed. At Singapore’s Changi Airport, one traveler recounted how he and his partner were already in the boarding area when they were informed their flight to London was canceled.
“They told us the flight was canceled because there’s been a fire in London,” he said. “They booked us at a hotel and told us they would inform us when the next flight is available.”
Heathrow’s Long-Term Expansion Plans
This major disruption comes just months after the UK government approved Heathrow’s plan to build a third runway. The expansion, which has faced years of legal disputes and opposition from local communities, is expected to be completed by 2035. Currently, Heathrow operates with just two runways, each nearly four kilometers (2.5 miles) in length.
Situated 25 kilometers west of central London, Heathrow spans a total area of 12.3 square kilometers (4.8 square miles) and has four operational terminals. The airport, originally opened in 1946 as “London Airport,” was later renamed Heathrow after a nearby village was demolished to make way for its construction.
With this latest crisis, questions are being raised about the airport’s infrastructure resilience and its ability to handle future challenges.
Authorities are working around the clock to restore full operations at Heathrow. However, passengers are advised to check with their airlines before making travel plans. While some flights are being rerouted through other airports, it may take days before Heathrow is fully operational again.
