Heathrow Airport Resumes Flight Operations After Fire Disrupts Services

Major Power Outage Causes Chaos at Europe’s Busiest Airport

London’s Heathrow Airport is slowly getting back on its feet after a massive fire at a nearby substation led to a complete power outage, forcing all flight operations to halt. The disruption, which began late Thursday night, left thousands of passengers stranded and triggered a ripple effect of travel chaos across the globe.

Authorities have been working tirelessly to restore operations, with flights resuming gradually from Friday evening. However, a full recovery is expected to take at least a day.

Thousands of Passengers Affected by Flight Cancellations

With Heathrow scheduled to handle 1,351 flights on Friday, accommodating nearly 291,000 passengers, the fire’s impact was severe. Many flights were diverted to other airports across Britain and Europe, while some long-haul flights had to return to their departure points.

Airlines have now begun prioritizing repatriation efforts, ensuring stranded passengers can reach their destinations as soon as possible. Heathrow officials issued an apology via social media platform X, acknowledging the inconvenience caused by the incident.

Airlines Scramble to Resume Operations

Several major airlines, including British Airways, United Airlines, and Air Canada, have started resuming flights. British Airways confirmed that at least eight long-haul flights would depart from Heathrow on Friday evening, while other airlines are planning departures for later in the night, with arrivals expected on Saturday morning.

Despite these efforts, delays and cancellations remain a challenge as many aircraft and crew members are now out of position due to the disruption.

Fire at Substation Sparks Investigation

Firefighters reported that the blaze was caused by 25,000 litres of cooling oil igniting in a transformer at the substation. By Friday morning, the fire was still smouldering under firefighting foam, and investigations into the cause of the fire were ongoing.

Authorities stated that while there was no immediate evidence of foul play, counter-terrorism officers have been brought in to oversee the investigation due to Heathrow’s strategic importance.

Concerns Over Heathrow’s Infrastructure Resilience

The incident has reignited concerns about the vulnerability of Heathrow’s infrastructure. Industry experts, engineers, and passengers alike have questioned how a single fire could bring such a major hub to a standstill.

While Heathrow officials confirmed that backup power systems, including diesel generators, functioned as expected, they were insufficient to keep full operations running due to the airport’s massive energy requirements.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office has assured the public that a thorough investigation will be conducted to identify the root cause of the incident and implement measures to prevent such disruptions in the future.

What’s Next for Heathrow?

As the airport works towards a full recovery, passengers are advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Heathrow officials continue to coordinate closely with airlines to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.

While the situation remains challenging, airport authorities are determined to learn from this disruption and implement stronger resilience measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.