Heathrow Airport Shuts Down After Power Outage Caused by Nearby Substation Fire
Heathrow will partially reopen today for select flights, but widespread disruption is expected to continue for days. Priority is being given to repatriation and aircraft relocation flights.
Heathrow Airport was forced to close on Friday following a major power outage triggered by a fire at a nearby electricity substation in west London. While limited flight operations are set to resume today, officials warn that the fallout could affect travel for days to come.
The blaze at the North Hyde substation in Hayes caused a widespread blackout, disrupting power to Heathrow and about 67,000 nearby households. Emergency services responded late Thursday night, with around 70 firefighters tackling the flames. The fire, which involved 25,000 litres of cooling oil in a transformer, was still partially alight Friday morning.
As of 4pm Friday, power had been partially restored to Heathrow, enabling a small number of flights to resume. British Airways announced eight long-haul flights would depart from 7pm, and passengers booked on these specific routes — including Johannesburg, Singapore, Sydney, and Buenos Aires — were advised to head to the airport. All other passengers were told to stay away.
Repatriation flights and relocating aircraft are the immediate focus, as Heathrow collaborates with airlines to bring stranded passengers back from other European airports. The airport hopes to resume full operations by Saturday.
Ongoing Disruption & Passenger Impact
With over 1,300 flights affected and as many as 290,000 passengers disrupted, the outage is having global ripple effects. At the time of the closure, around 120 flights were en route to Heathrow. Some turned back; others were diverted to different airports.
Train services to Heathrow were suspended, and some passengers have been stranded overnight. Travel expert Simon Calder stressed that under EU air passenger rights, airlines are responsible for providing meals, accommodation, and rebooking for affected travelers.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are offering free rebooking options, while other airlines including easyJet, Ryanair, and Eurostar have increased capacity on alternative routes.
Investigation Underway
The Metropolitan Police declared the situation a major incident. While there is no indication of foul play, the Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation due to the scale of the disruption and their specialist capabilities. Authorities continue to explore the cause of the fire, which some eyewitnesses described as “apocalyptic.”
Calls for Infrastructure Reform
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the aviation industry. Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA and former BA boss, labeled the outage a “clear planning failure,” questioning how such a critical transport hub could lack sufficient energy redundancy.
Heathrow defended its systems, stating that backup generators functioned as intended but are designed for emergency landings and evacuations, not full operations. The airport likened its energy usage to that of a small city.
The National Grid provided an interim power solution but emphasized the need for further work to restore full capacity. Meanwhile, the National Infrastructure Commission called for stronger resilience standards across the UK’s critical infrastructure networks.
Cost & Outlook
The financial toll is already estimated at £20–£30 million, with more losses expected if delays continue. Travel disruption is likely to persist throughout the weekend, with airlines and airports scrambling to stabilize operations.
Passengers are advised to check with airlines before traveling and expect ongoing delays as Heathrow works to recover from one of the most significant infrastructure failures in its history.
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