Heathrow to Fully Reopen Soon! CEO Gives Clear Update on Airport’s Status

Heathrow Airport in London, Europe’s busiest airport, resumed flights late on Friday evening following a massive fire that caused a major disruption.

The incident, which knocked out power to the airport, forced it to shut down completely on Thursday evening, stranding thousands of passengers. The airport’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, expressed apologies to the affected travelers and defended the airport’s response to the unprecedented loss of power caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation.

Flights Resume After Power Outage at Heathrow Airport

Flights at Heathrow Airport gradually resumed late on Friday after the fire severely disrupted operations. The fire, which started at a substation in Hayes, led to a total shutdown of the airport as electricity was lost. Initially, Heathrow announced that the airport would remain closed until 11:59 pm (EST) on Friday. However, the airport later adjusted its plans, stating that repatriation flights for passengers diverted to other airports would begin that evening.

Several airlines, including British Airways, Air Canada, and United Airlines, confirmed they would restart their scheduled flights, both to and from Heathrow. On Friday, the airport had been scheduled to handle 1,351 flights, carrying nearly 291,000 passengers. However, many flights were diverted to other airports across Britain and Europe, while long-haul flights were returned to their original departure points.

Heathrow Airport Set to Fully Reopen by Saturday

Heathrow Airport is expected to return to full operations on Saturday, according to Woldbye. British Airways, however, predicted that around 85% of their Saturday flights at Heathrow would operate as planned.

Woldbye acknowledged the severity of the incident, describing the power loss as “equal to that of a mid-sized city.” Despite the backup systems functioning properly, the airport’s infrastructure was not sized to handle the entire airport’s needs in the event of such a large-scale power failure.

What Caused the Heathrow Fire?

While the exact cause of the fire remains unclear, the Metropolitan Police have stated they are not treating the incident as suspicious. The London Fire Brigade has launched an investigation focused on the electrical distribution equipment at the substation.

Woldbye explained that a backup transformer failed during the incident, forcing the airport to shut down systems for safety reasons. Power was then rerouted from the two remaining substations to restore electricity, but it took time to recover full functionality.

No Casualties Reported

Fortunately, there were no casualties reported in connection with the fire, according to the London Ambulance Service. The fire generated huge flames and plumes of smoke, which were captured in footage shared on social media. The incident led to significant operational challenges at Heathrow, but the airport is now on the path to recovery.

Moving Forward: Lessons to Learn

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasized that there would be lessons to learn from this unprecedented incident, especially regarding the airport’s power infrastructure. As Heathrow works towards full recovery, passengers are advised to stay updated on flight statuses and anticipate possible delays on Saturday as operations resume.

With flights slowly returning to normal, Heathrow Airport aims to ensure the safety and smooth travel experience of its passengers in the days ahead.