Flights resumed at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning as the facility worked towards restoring normal operations after a power outage prompted its temporary closure. To alleviate congestion, the Department of Transport indicated that limitations on overnight flights were lifted, and passengers were encouraged to arrive at the airport as they usually would.
British Airways, a dominant carrier at Heathrow, anticipated operating approximately 85% of its planned flights for the day. Typically, the airline schedules nearly 600 departures and arrivals each Saturday, but it is expected that some high-frequency routes will see cancellations where feasible.
According to FlightRadar24, British Airways flight BA56 from Johannesburg, South Africa, was the first regular passenger flight to arrive at Heathrow since Thursday night, landing at 4:37 AM on Saturday.
In response to the incident, Downing Street acknowledged that there were “questions to answer” following a fire at an electrical substation that halted operations, resulting in over 1,350 flight cancellations and significant travel disruptions for countless passengers.
Counter-terrorism police are conducting an investigation into this “unprecedented” situation that left the UK’s busiest airport incapacitated while engineers worked to restore power, although they noted that there was “no indication of foul play.”
Sources close to the investigation suggested that officials did not view the fire as a product of criminal activity or a hostile act, leaning towards the belief that it was an accidental occurrence. On Friday night, police confirmed that the fire was not considered suspicious.
Heathrow partially reopened on Friday evening; however, airlines warned that the effects of the closure would continue to significantly impact travelers in the following days.
Government ministers recognized the “immense distress and disruption” experienced by passengers and pledged to “learn lessons” from this incident.
When questioned about the potential for an inquiry and if National Grid would be held accountable, a spokesperson for the prime minister stated: “There are questions to address regarding how this incident occurred and what measures can be implemented to avert similar disruptions in the future, once the situation is stabilized.”
Passengers were advised to avoid Heathrow throughout Friday, as the London Fire Brigade responded to a blaze that broke out shortly after 11 PM on Thursday at the substation located in Hayes, north of the airport.
More than 70 firefighters battled the fire under “challenging and hazardous” conditions, with the flames still active by 8 AM on Friday. The substation had seen approximately 25,000 liters of oil catch fire, but authorities assured the public that there was no threat to air quality despite the harsh smell.
The fire led to power being cut off for 67,000 homes for several hours, resulting in the evacuation of over 100 individuals. Power has since been restored to all customers, including Heathrow, allowing airport operations to recommence.
On Friday, more than 1,350 flights, catering to around 200,000 passengers, were slated to take off and land at the airport, serving about 230 destinations, including those in the US where Heathrow serves as a key entry point from Europe.
Around 120 long-haul flights were en route to Heathrow when the airport’s closure was announced overnight, necessitating the diversion of arrivals to other airports across Britain and Europe.
In the upcoming days, residents of London can expect an increase in nighttime aircraft noise due to the Department of Transport lifting restrictions on overnight flights to help manage the backlog.
Heathrow has frequently faced significant disruptions due to external factors, such as the air traffic control failure in August 2023, and mass flight cancellations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the last time the airport experienced a prolonged full closure was in December 2010, during severe winter weather that led to 4,000 flight cancellations.
High-ranking security and aviation officials expressed concern regarding how the world’s most connected airport could remain shut down for such an extended period due to a power failure.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) characterized the incident as yet another instance of Heathrow failing both travelers and airlines. Willie Walsh, IATA’s director general, commented, “It is astonishing that critical infrastructure relies solely on a single power source without backup. If that is the case, it constitutes a clear planning oversight by the airport.”
David Omand, former head of the Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ), remarked on BBC’s World at One: “Given the significance of Heathrow, it is surprising that the entire airport had to be shuttered for an entire day. While disruptions are understandable, a full closure for such a lengthy period is a national embarrassment. This should not have transpired.”
Despite this, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended the airport on Friday night, stating the “unprecedented situation” was “entirely beyond Heathrow’s control.” She noted that the airport executed its resilience plan promptly and collaborated effectively with emergency services and airline operators. “They do have backup energy supplies, including diesel generators. However, that backup is designed to maintain critical systems rather than power the entire airport,” she explained.
Alexander advised anyone with flights on Saturday to confirm with their airline before heading to the airport. While acknowledging the scale of the incident, she emphasized that the response had been prompt, although she understood the immense disruption it caused to many individuals.
Heathrow’s CEO, Thomas Woldbye, extended his apologies to “the many people who have experienced disruption to their travel.” He added, “It is crucial to emphasize that this incident was of major severity; it was not a minor fire.”
The Metropolitan Police confirmed their collaboration with the London Fire Brigade to determine the cause of the fire, which remains under investigation. A spokesperson indicated, “While we currently see no evidence of foul play, we are keeping an open mind.”
Detectives plan to collect components from the substation and its equipment for examination for any signs of interference. Initial reviews of the CCTV footage around the substation revealed nothing suspicious.
Counter-terrorism detectives will continue their involvement in the investigation until another explanation for the fire is found.
Alice Delahunty, president of National Grid’s transmission business, characterized the incident as “very significant and serious,” emphasizing that such occurrences are exceedingly rare within their network. She noted that it was premature to verify any conjectures regarding the fire’s cause, stating, “We are focused on restoring power safely before conducting a comprehensive investigation.”
A spokesperson for Heathrow remarked that the airport would initially coordinate with airlines to repatriate passengers diverted to alternate airports in Europe. “Our priority remains ensuring the safety of our passengers and staff. As Europe’s busiest airport, Heathrow consumes energy equivalent to that of a small city, thus returning to full operational capacity will take time. We regret the inconvenience caused by this incident.”
British Airways, which handles approximately half of all flights at Heathrow, resumed long-haul services on Friday evening after power was reinstated. Flights began arriving back at the airport as well.
CEO Sean Doyle stated that British Airways was “compelled to effectively ground its operations,” leading to the cancellation of all short-haul flights and most long-haul flights scheduled for Friday. He noted, “Unfortunately, this will have a significant impact on all our customers flying with us in the upcoming days.”
The post Flights Resume at Heathrow After Severe Power Outage: Investigations Underway into Disruptions Cause first appeared on London.
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Author : London News
Publish date : 2025-03-22 17:53:00
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