London Heathrow Airport is closed all day today, March 21, 2025, due to a significant power outage caused by a fire at the nearby North Hyde Electricity Substation. The shutdown came after a blaze broke out late Thursday night at approximately 11:15 PM. Officials have stated that operations will remain suspended until at least 23:59 today. A spokesperson for the airport commented, "Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation. Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 23:59 on 21 March 2025."
This unprecedented closure is expected to ripple across the global travel network. More than 1,300 flights were scheduled to land or depart from Heathrow today, all of which have been canceled, leading to significant confusion and disruption for travelers. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that at least 120 flights bound for Heathrow would be diverted to other airports. British Airways is among the hardest hit, with approximately 30 diverted flights reported as of 6 AM local time. American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic also reported 10 and 9 diversions, respectively.
In light of the chaos, other airports like London Gatwick have opened their doors to accommodate the diverted flights. Gatwick officials indicated they would accept seven flights that were originally scheduled to arrive at Heathrow, servicing travelers coming from places like Singapore, Johannesburg, and Doha. Meanwhile, airlines such as United Airlines confirmed that seven of their flights either turned back to their departure airports or were redirected elsewhere.
Officials from various airlines are working quickly to communicate with affected passengers. A spokesperson for British Airways stated, "Due to a power outage in the London Heathrow area, London Heathrow Airport is currently closed. As a result, customers due to travel from Heathrow on Friday are advised not to travel to the airport until further notice. This will clearly have a significant impact on our operation, and we’re working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond."
Air India has also announced significant changes, with their Heathrow-bound flight AI129 from Mumbai ordered to return to Mumbai and another from Delhi now diverted to Frankfurt. Emirates has canceled several flights, while Aer Lingus has halted operations at Heathrow entirely today. A representative of Virgin Atlantic stressed that all arriving and departing flights are canceled until midday as their operations remain under review.
In response to the unfolding crisis, more than 70 firefighters from the London Fire Brigade are battling the fire at the electrical substation, using 10 fire engines to control the situation. Pat Goulbourne, the assistant commissioner with the Brigade, reported that over 200 calls were received as residents sought information about the incident. He stated, "This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible. The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimize disruption."
The blaze has led to the evacuation of 29 residents from neighboring properties, with a 200-metre cordon established as a safety precaution. Numerous households in the Hayes area are experiencing power outages, with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks reporting that more than 16,300 homes have been impacted. Many residents were advised to stay inside and keep their windows closed to avoid smoke inhalation.
As the situation unfolds, officials predict significant travel disruption could linger through the weekend. They caution travelers against heading to the airport until it reopens officially, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to resolve the power disruption. "We expect significant disruption over the coming days, and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens," stated another spokesperson from Heathrow. "We know this will be disappointing for passengers, and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation. Further updates will be provided as they become available."
Heathrow Airport, known as one of the busiest two-runway airports worldwide, saw nearly 84 million passengers pass through in 2024, highlighting the scale of disruption this incident will have on global travel operations. With over 200,000 people passing through the airport daily, the ramifications of today's closure are expected to be felt far and wide, particularly as airlines scramble to manage the fallout.
