Heathrow airport, one of the world’s busiest multi-runway civil aviation hubs, will be completely closed all day Friday. This closure comes after a massive power outage triggered by a fire at an electrical substation. The closure will bring significant delays in the days ahead. Production More than 1,300 flights will be affected, sending up to 145,000 passengers into a tizzy. This event has exposed holes in the airport’s infrastructure and has once again placed a spotlight on airports’ contingency plans.
Heathrow Airport, located 14 miles west of central London, serves more than 90 airlines traveling to approximately 180 destinations across over 90 countries. Last year, the airport served a staggering 83.9 million passengers. It is an astounding number that represented a 6% increase in passengers over FY22, record fiscal year. Heathrow would be forced to routinely operate at 99% capacity. It’s a crucible for global air travel, with literally every major airline in the world passing through its decidedly outdated terminals.
The reason for the power outage, a controversial fire at the electricity substation powering Heathrow. The responding London Fire Brigade has been tirelessly trying to stop the spread fire and the power.
“The substation is currently still ablaze. Firefighters are working to isolate the electricity, which will then allow them to tackle the blaze with firefighting foam,” said London Fire Brigade station commander Paul Morgan.
“That’s expected to take place very shortly,” he added.
The fire has resulted in extensive power outages, shutting off power to over 16,000 residences in the area. The London Fire Brigade alone has taken more than 200 related calls to the blaze.
“The blaze is not considered to be a danger to the local community as it has been contained and is not spreading. Residents living nearby have been advised to close their windows due to the smoke,” stated the London Fire Brigade.
UK’s Heathrow Airport is already cautioning travelers about major disruptions. In a statement on their website, they emphasize the need for passengers to avoid the airport until it is reopened.
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” confirmed Heathrow Airport.
“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March,” they further announced.
Flight analytics firm Cirium told CNN that only 669 flights were supposed to land at Heathrow on Friday. This sudden service cut has devastated riders. Beyond that, it has sparked worries about the resilience of critical infrastructure at this key transportation node capital of the world.
An aviation expert expressed concerns over the lack of alternative power sources for the airport:
“I find it extraordinary that there’s no capacity to have another power source.”
Firefighters continue to stay on scene to control active flames and prevent any additional threat of a revive.
“This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night,” said firefighters involved in the operation.
“As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible.”
