Heathrow Airport Shuts Down Due to Fire-Induced Power Outage: Major Flight Disruptions Impacting Travelers

LONDON (AP) — Heathrow Airport was completely shut down on Friday due to a fire that disrupted power. This caused major travel chaos for hundreds of thousands of passengers at one of Europe’s busiest airports.

Many flights had to be diverted to Gatwick, Charles de Gaulle in Paris, and Shannon Airport in Ireland. Around 1,350 flights were affected, with numerous cancellations coming from U.S. cities, according to FlightRadar24.

Heathrow stated, “For the safety of our passengers and staff, we must close the airport for the day.” They advised travelers to stay away until further notice. Earlier this year, Heathrow had its busiest January, serving over 6.3 million passengers, reflecting a rise of more than 5% compared to last year. This surge is largely attributed to increased transatlantic travel.

United Airlines reported that several of its flights had to return to their origin or be redirected to other airports. FlightAware also recorded cancellations, including flights from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Heathrow will update its operations once power is restored. All trains to and from the airport were canceled, adding to the inconvenience.

The London Fire Brigade responded swiftly, sending 10 fire engines and about 70 firefighters after a transformer in an electrical substation caught fire late Thursday night. The fire not only caused the airport’s closure but also left thousands of homes without power, and around 150 people had to be evacuated. Emergency services were alerted to the situation at 11:23 p.m., but the cause of the blaze is still unknown.

Social media users have shared videos showing large flames and heavy smoke emerging from the substation, highlighting the urgency of the situation. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne remarked that the team is working with partners to minimize disruption for local businesses and residences. According to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, more than 16,300 homes were impacted by the power outage.

Travelers rely heavily on Heathrow, particularly for international connections, making the situation a significant hiccup in travel plans. Historically, disasters like these disrupt air travel not just in the affected areas but also ripple across the globe, affecting connections and schedules.

In the context of recent developments, the U.K. government had approved plans for constructing a third runway at Heathrow earlier this year, aiming to improve the airport’s capacity and connectivity. This incident serves as a reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by transportation infrastructure, especially in high-traffic areas.

As of now, Heathrow is expected to remain closed until 11:59 p.m. Friday. The situation remains fluid, and updates from the airport will be crucial in the coming hours.



Source link

Paris, Ireland, United Kingdom, Fires, General news, Europe, John F. Kennedy, Pat Goulbourne, Business, World news