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London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, was forced to shut down completely on Friday after a massive fire at a nearby electrical substation wiped out its power supply. The incident caused worldwide flight disruptions, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and affecting global air travel.
Around 70 firefighters were deployed to tackle the fire in west London. The blaze not only knocked out the primary power source but also disabled the backup system, causing a widespread outage at Heathrow, which is Europe’s busiest airport and the fifth-busiest in the world.
The Scale of Heathrow Airport
Heathrow is one of the most significant airports globally, serving as a critical hub for international flights. Here are some key facts about the airport:
- Heathrow connects passengers to more than 230 destinations across nearly 90 countries.
- Around 90 airlines operate from Heathrow, including major carriers like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Lufthansa.
- In February 2025 alone, Heathrow saw 5.7 million passengers, making it the busiest February in its history.
- Over a 12-month period from March 2024 to February 2025, the airport handled 84.1 million passengers.
- Heathrow operates with two main runways: the northern runway is 3,902 meters long, while the southern one is 3,658 meters.
The Push for a Third Runway
With Heathrow operating at 99% capacity, expansion plans are in motion. The airport will submit its proposal for a third runway this summer, shortly after receiving backing from the British government. Officials believe this expansion could enhance trade and economic growth. Currently, Heathrow’s two-runway system falls short compared to European competitors such as Paris’ Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport, which each have four runways, and Amsterdam’s Schiphol, which operates with six.
Ownership and Operations
Heathrow Airport is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings. Its major stakeholders include:
- Ardian (a private investment house)
- Qatar Investment Fund
- Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund
The airport records approximately 475,000 aircraft movements annually, making it a crucial part of global aviation. The most frequently traveled route from Heathrow is to New York, emphasizing its role in transatlantic travel.
Employment and Historical Background
- Heathrow is the UK’s largest single-site employer, with more than 90,000 people working there.
- The airport is named after the village of Heathrow, which once stood where Terminal 3 is located today.
- Operations at Heathrow began in 1946 as a temporary facility, initially serving 18 destinations with only a handful of airlines.
- The first departure from Heathrow took place on New Year’s Day 1946, flying to Buenos Aires via Lisbon.
- The airport’s first dedicated terminal for short-haul flights opened in 1955. Originally called the Europa Building, it is now known as Terminal 2.
- Terminal 1 was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 1969 but was closed in June 2015.
- Terminal 3 was launched in 1961, followed by Terminal 4 in 1986.
- Terminal 5, which opened in 2008, had its construction process subjected to the longest public inquiry in British planning history, lasting nearly four years.
Heathrow To resume services
With the airport expected to resume operations after extensive recovery efforts, authorities are now evaluating the need for stronger backup systems to prevent future disruptions. The massive outage has raised concerns about the airport’s infrastructure and its reliance on a single power source.
