Due to a major fire and subsequent power outage at a nearby electrical substation, the world's fifth busiest airport will be closed for an entire day, with over 1,300 flights expected to be affected globally. Currently, relevant departments are working to restore power as quickly as possible, but the exact restoration time remains unclear. This unexpected closure highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and its impact on global travel.
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03-21, 2025Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 confirmed that at least 120 flights originally destined for Heathrow Airport had to be diverted due to the closure. The website stated that at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow Airport are expected to be affected on Friday local time, not including cancellations or delays that may result from aircraft reallocation issues. The ripple effect of these disruptions will be felt by passengers and airlines alike.
FlightRadar24 spokesperson Ian Petchenik said, "Heathrow Airport is one of the world's major aviation hubs, and this closure will disrupt the operations of airlines around the world." The airport posted a notice on its website stating that the airport is closed to "ensure the safety of passengers and colleagues" and will remain closed until midnight on March 21. The notice advised passengers not to travel to the airport and to contact their airline for further information, and apologized for the inconvenience caused. The priority remains the safety and well-being of everyone involved.
Videos from the scene showed a raging fire at the substation, with firefighters working to extinguish the blaze. The London Fire Brigade said its personnel were dealing with a fire in the Hayes area of West London and had evacuated approximately 150 people, establishing a 200-meter cordon as a precaution. The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Authorities said thousands of homes and businesses were without power and warned residents to close their windows and doors and avoid the area as much as possible due to "heavy smoke." Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire and prevent future incidents.
European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol stated on its operations website that Heathrow Airport is not allowing aircraft to land due to the power outage and has developed flight diversion plans. Some flights have already begun to be diverted, with Qantas diverting its flight from Perth to Paris and United Airlines diverting its flight from New York to Shannon, Ireland. Some flights from the United States are turning around in mid-air and returning to their origin. Experts say airlines need to quickly reconfigure their networks, adjusting aircraft and crews, and the next few days will be "chaotic." Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt said, "Another problem is how airlines will handle the backlog of passengers?" According to travel data company OAG, Heathrow Airport was the second busiest international airport in the world in 2024, after Dubai Airport. The disruption will test the resilience of the aviation industry and its ability to recover from unforeseen events.
