ETIHAD AIRWAYS has cancelled multiple flights to and from London Heathrow Airport on March 21, due to a severe power outage affecting operations at the UK's busiest airport.
The cancellation included flights EY63 (from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow), EY64 (from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi), EY65 (from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow), and EY66 (from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi). Furthermore, the flight EY61 service from Abu Dhabi to London Heathrow was diverted to Frankfurt Airport.
In a statement regarding the situation, Etihad Airlines emphasized that "The safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority, and we regret any inconvenience caused by this disruption." The airline also advised passengers traveling to or from London to check their latest flight status on their website, ensuring that contact details were updated in the Manage Your Booking section for real-time notifications.
This disruption arose following a large fire at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, just three kilometers from Heathrow, late on March 20. The fire began around 11:23 PM GMT and was significant enough to necessitate a massive response from the London Fire Brigade, comprising ten fire engines and over 70 firefighters. The fire not only caused substantial damage but also resulted in power outages that left more than 16,000 homes and businesses without electricity, with over 150 residents evacuated as a precaution.
As the fire raged, it quickly escalated into a major crisis, affecting more than just local power supply and construction efforts at Heathrow Airport. Critical airport systems were taken offline, and reports indicated that the airport's backup power generator had been damaged in the fire, prompting resort to a suspension of all operations until 11:59 PM on March 21.
Heathrow's operational shutdown grounded more than 1,300 flights, impacting an estimated 145,000 passengers. As a focal point for international travel, this unexpected closure has had ripple effects across global aviation networks. Airlines scrambled to manage the chaos, forcing several transatlantic flights to turn around mid-air to avoid landing at an airport without the necessary systems. Others were redirected to alternative airports, such as Gatwick or Shannon.
In light of this catastrophe, Energy Minister Ed Miliband described the incident as “catastrophic,” emphasizing the implications for energy resilience within critical infrastructure. Authorities are currently working to restore power through alternate systems while beginning an investigation to determine the fire's cause and evaluate the adequacy of existing infrastructure safeguards.
Throughout this extensive disruption, other airlines, including Emirates, have faced cancellations and delays as well. They issued advisories for their passengers to check flight status and allow additional time for rebooking or alternative travel arrangements.
Moreover, United Airlines, Qantas, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic have also seen their operations hindered by the incident, leading to rescheduling and adaptation efforts for their fleets and schedules. The impact has been severe; as multiple flights have had to adjust, the concern for future operations looms as the investigation progresses.
As it stands, the shockwaves from this incident serve as a stark reminder of vulnerabilities in airport infrastructures that often go unnoticed until crises like this arise. The questions surrounding Heathrow's preparedness and response mechanisms come into sharper focus, with officials facing scrutiny over how to safeguard against future incidents of similar or greater magnitude.
The total impact of this incident on Heathrow's operations and the wider travel network is still unfolding. Passengers are urged not to travel to the airport under any circumstances until it reopens. Meanwhile, Etihad and other airlines continue to navigate through this unprecedented disruption.
