Flights are back in the air at Heathrow Airport following an unprecedented shutdown caused by a fire at a nearby power station. The incident occurred Thursday evening when a blaze at the North Hyde plant in Hayes, west London, led to a massive power loss, affecting approximately 200,000 passengers and grounding flights throughout Friday.
According to the airport authorities, full operations are expected to resume by Saturday, March 22, 2025. "This is as big as it gets for our airport," said Heathrow's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, who has since issued a public apology. He emphasized that while the airport has safety protocols in place, it cannot guarantee protection against all incidents.
Woldbye explained that the fire resulted in a power loss comparable to that of a mid-sized city. A failure of a backup transformer forced the airport to halt operations for safety reasons. As a result, several airlines, including British Airways, Air Canada, and United Airlines, had to restart their flight schedules after the crisis.
British Airways reported that eight long-haul flights managed to depart from Heathrow Friday evening, as the airport worked diligently to contact affected customers.
The Department of Transport stepped in to temporarily lift overnight flight restrictions to help alleviate congestion and expedite the return to normal operations. Passengers were urged to check directly with their airlines for updates as conditions continued to evolve.
The Metropolitan Police assured the public that the fire was not suspicious. London Fire Brigade (LFB) responded promptly, dispatching ten fire engines and 70 firefighters to the scene at approximately 23:20 GMT on Thursday. After several hours of intense firefighting, they managed to bring the blaze under control by 06:30 the next morning. The incident involved a transformer containing 25,000 liters of cooling fluid, and a large safety cordon was established, leading to the evacuation of 150 nearby residents.
Fortunately, Hillingdon Council quickly provided hotel accommodations for 12 evacuees, and most residents were allowed to return home by 17:00 on the same day. Meanwhile, the National Grid restored power to over 65,000 homes by 14:00 on Friday.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander commended airport authorities for their quick response in activating the resilience plan. She reassured that there are backup energy supplies, including diesel generators, which protect critical airport systems, but clarified these do not power the entire airport.
As the incident unfolded, many passengers found themselves in difficult situations. A Texas family bound for Dallas landed at Heathrow to discover the airport completely shut down. Andrew Sri, traveling with his wife and three children, expressed his frustration: "I just wish they had updated us accordingly." Local residents also reported hearing the explosions; one woman, Savita Kapur, recounted feeling the ground shake when the second explosion occurred.
Passengers waiting for updates experienced long times and a lack of clear communication. Many were left uncertain about rebooking flights and stranded in terminals for hours as they sought alternative travel arrangements.
Heathrow, known as the UK's busiest airport—handling 1,300 landings and take-offs daily—saw record passenger traffic of 83.9 million in the preceding year. Authorities are prioritizing a quick return to full operations as they assess the resilience of power infrastructure in critical transport hubs.
In the midst of this disruption, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced the reinstatement of its full service to Heathrow, with the first flight, SQ308, taking off from Changi Airport at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 22. Additional flights, including SQ318, SQ322, and SQ312, are also scheduled to depart for Heathrow. However, SIA did confirm that flights SQ305 and SQ317 from Heathrow to Singapore were canceled.
Despite the chaos, SIA arranged for affected passengers on diverted flights to return to London via bus from Frankfurt and Paris, highlighting the airline's commitment to customer service during these challenging times.
While the immediate threat has subsided and flight operations are resuming, the authorities are engaged in a thorough review of airport protocols to prevent similar large-scale disruptions in the future. Discussions around stronger backup power solutions and improved emergency response strategies are on the table.
The aftermath of the incident underscores the fragility of airport infrastructure and the critical need for rigorous safety measures. With lessons to be learned from this event, London will likely take important steps in enhancing its readiness against unpredicted occurrences.
