Heathrow Airport Closes after Substation Fire Causes Major Power Outage

Heathrow Airport has been completely shut down for the entire day following a massive fire at an electrical substation near Hayes, west London. The power outage has caused severe travel disruptions, grounding all flights and stranding thousands of passengers.

According to Flightradar24, the closure affects an estimated 1,357 flights—including 679 arrivals and 678 departures—and approximately 220,000 passengers who use Heathrow daily.

About 120 planes already in the air were affected, many of which have since diverted to alternate airports such as Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Gatwick, and Shannon.

The airport issued a statement confirming it will remain closed until 11:59 PM on Friday, March 21, citing passenger and staff safety as the top priority. All train services to Heathrow have been suspended, and officials are urging travellers to avoid the airport completely.

The fire, which broke out late Thursday evening, sent billowing black smoke into the sky and knocked out power across Hounslow and Southall. One eyewitness described the scene as “absolutely apocalyptic,” comparing it to something “out of a movie.”

UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said it was “too early to know” the exact cause of the fire, which continues to be investigated.

The total shutdown of one of the world’s busiest airports—which served a record 83.9 million passengers in 2024—is expected to cause global disruptions for days. Aircraft normally land or take off from Heathrow every 45 seconds, meaning the backlog and rescheduling process will likely take time to stabilise.

Passengers with delayed or cancelled flights are advised to contact their airlines for information on alternative travel arrangements and compensation. The situation is ongoing, and more updates are expected throughout the day.
Source: Sky news