A fire has broken out at a west London substation, leading to a power outage that has left Heathrow airport without electricity.
That means Heathrow – the UK’s largest airport – will be shut down until midnight on Friday, likely impacting hundreds of flights and thousands of passengers.
A spokesperson has said there is “no clarity on when power may be reliably restored”, adding that staff were “working as hard as possible to resolve the situation”.
The fire in Hayes has also left thousands of homes without power and caused around 150 people to be evacuated from surrounding properties.
In a statement, the airport said it is experiencing a “significant power outage” because of the fire.
“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 on 21 March,” it said.
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
Stay with us for what is likely to be a day of major travel disruption.
Heathrow’s statement in full
Here is the full statement from Heathrow Airport, posted to its social media a short time ago:
“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 23h59 on 21 March 2025.
We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.
We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available.
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.”
Gatwick Airport ready to provide support
We are starting to get some reaction through from other airports and airlines about how they are reacting to the closure.
A short time ago the BBC News received this statement through from Gatwick Airport:
“We are aware of the situation at Heathrow Airport today and stand ready to support as required. Flights are operating from London Gatwick as normal today.”
Half of a transformer in substation remains alight, says fire servicepublished at 04:5804:58
This fire at the substation this morning happened about a mile and a half north of Heathrow Airport in the town of Hayes.
According to the London Fire Brigade, half of a transformer within the substation remains alight, with ten fire engines and at least 70 firefighters having been called out to the fire.
“This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night,” said Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne.
“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 minimise disruption.”
The cause of the fire is not known at this time.
United Airlines cancels flights
Some details on flight cancellations are starting to emerge.
US-based carrier United Airlines told the BBC that “following the closure, seven United flights returned to their origin or to other airports”.
“Friday flights to London Heathrow are being cancelled,” a spokesperson added.
They also said the airline is working with its customers to offer alternative travel options.
Australia’s Qantas diverts flights from London
Australia’s flagship Qantas airline has told BBC News that it is “closely monitoring” the situation at London Heathrow.
Its QF9 Perth-London flight which is currently in the air is being diverted to Paris. Flight QF1 which has departed from Singapore will also be diverted from London to the French capital.
Two other flights scheduled to depart London today, QF2 and QF10, are likely to be affected, according to the airline.
Qantas says it will be reaching out directly to its customers whose flights have been affected.
Tartan Army stuck in Greece after flight cancelled by Heathrow closure
I am among a few bleary-eyed Scots who attended the match against Greece a few hours ago but were up before sunrise for a flight to Heathrow.
We had cleared passport control and security in good time and as we were queuing for some breakfast a staff member shouted, “all flights to Heathrow cancelled”. A glance at the departure board confirmed that was the case.
When we asked why, we were told all flights to Heathrow today will be cancelled due to a fire. We were then huddled among 50 other passengers and walked back through passport control to re-enter Greece.
Plenty of passengers around us were planning on getting a connecting flight up to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen. They’ve been looking at re-booking via other European cities for who knows how much cost at this last minute.
But it does give an idea of the knock-on impact to people’s travel plans. Staff at Athens have been very helpful, they’ve given us vouchers and clear directions. Systems are being updated so for now – like many others – we wait.
At least 1,300 flights affected, says Flightradar24
We do not have any official figures on how many flights to and from Heathrow are going to be cancelled today, but flight tracker FlightRadar24 estimates it could be at least 1,351.
“That doesn’t include any flights that might be cancelled or delayed due to aircraft being out of position,” the tracker added.
It is understood least 120 flights in the air bound for Heathrow will have to divert due to the airport closure.
Heathrow is the UK’s largest airport, handling around 1,300 landings and take-offs each day. A record 83.9 million passengers passed through its terminals last year.
Power company urges customers to get in touch
A little bit more about the major fire at the substation which has caused the issues.
More than 16,300 homes have lost power in a large-scale outage cause, energy supplier Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said on X.
It has appealed to anyone who is medically dependent on electricity and who needs help to get in touch with the power company.
British Airways redirecting flights to other UK airports
British Airways, whose main hub is Heathrow, has echoed the advise of the airport for customer not to travel until further notice.
It said the outage “will clearly have a significant impact on our operation and our customers”.
“We’re working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond,” it said in a statement.
“Where possible, we’re redirecting inbound flights already on their way to Heathrow to other UK airports.”
The first overnight flights usually begin landing at Heathrow at around 04:30 GMT – but with the airport closed those jets are now diverting to other cities.
Some early arrivals have landed at London Gatwick to the south of the capital, but that is the UK’s second busiest airport and its own morning rush is about to begin so capacity there could be an issue
Looking at tracking site FlightRadar24 I can see some Heathrow inbounds are now diverting to airports on the continent.
Two flights from Doha and Bahrain in the Gulf have just landed at Frankfurt while a Cathay Pacific service from Hong Kong has diverted to Amsterdam.
Some passengers may be slightly better off if their aircraft diverts to Manchester – as has an early British Airways service from Nairobi in Kenya.
But the more diversions the greater the knock on effects as airlines see their aircraft and crews scattered across Europe.
Gatwick Airport confirms it is accepting diverted flights
London Gatwick Airport has just shared a new statement confirming it is offering support by “accepting diverted flights as required”.
“Flights are operating from London Gatwick as normal today,” the airport added.
It said it has already “accepted seven diverted flights originally scheduled to land at Heathrow”.
Qantas looks forward to welcoming me onboard this evening
I was booked to fly into Heathrow from Singapore tonight.
I am travelling alone with my six-year-old and so opted for an overnight flight to hopefully allow the 15-hour flight to go a bit quicker.
I contacted Qantas to check if the airline is diverting my flight but it said there has been no word yet. Separately, Qantas has told the BBC my flight is likely to be impacted.
I’ve been checking alternative flights to Gatwick or Manchester to see if I can get ahead of any delays.
There are few direct options. But Singapore Airlines to London Gatwick for two of us is costing about $3,000 (£2,320) at this late stage! My travel insurance will only cover the cost of my original flight, and only if the airline sends us written proof that it is cancelling or diverting.
In the last few minutes, I’ve received the below message saying Qantas looks forward to welcoming me onboard.
I’m sceptical as any delays at busy airports like Heathrow are likely to last for days. But I guess I’ll take my chances by heading to the airport in the coming hours – along with a very sleepy child.
Fire at substation ‘remains alight’ – fire brigade
We’re now hearing from the London Fire Brigade that the blaze at the electrical substation in Hayes has not been extinguished.
“Part of a transformer within the substation remains alight,” an update on social media from the London Fire Brigade says.
Firefighters are “working tirelessly” to bring the blaze under control, the statement adds. “As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible.”
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters have been dispatched to the site. The cause of the fire remains unclear at this point.
National Grid working to restore power supply
National Grid says in a post on X that the fire at North Hyde substation has “damaged equipment, leading to a loss of power supply in the area”.
“We are working at speed to restore power supplies as quickly as possible and will provide an update as soon as we can,” the statement says.
Disruption could last days
Heathrow will be closed until midnight on Friday but the airport is warning of “significant disruption” in the days after that.
Aircraft and crews will be in different locations as flights have been diverted or in some cases not even left a runway.
It will also have to deal with the huge influx of passengers when the airport reopens.
Air India flight returning to Mumbai
Air India says its London-bound AI129 flight is returning to Mumbai.
Another flight – AI161 from Delhi – is being diverted to Frankfurt. All other remaining Air India flights to and from London Heathrow on 21 March have been cancelled.
The company’s flights to London Gatwick remain unaffected.
“We will update about resumption of operations as soon as we have more information,” a statement from the airline said.
Air India flight returning to Mumbai
Air India says its London-bound AI129 flight is returning to Mumbai.
Another flight – AI161 from Delhi – is being diverted to Frankfurt. All other remaining Air India flights to and from London Heathrow on 21 March have been cancelled.
The company’s flights to London Gatwick remain unaffected.
“We will update about resumption of operations as soon as we have more information,” a statement from the airline said.
Cathay Pacific cancels flights on its London to Hong Kong route
Hong Kong’s main airline Cathay Pacific says flights CX239 and CX253 from Hong Kong to London today have been cancelled.
All Cathay flights from London to Hong Kong have also been cancelled, the airline added.
“We are assessing the situation and will keep our customers informed with the latest updates,” it also told the BBC.
London-Amsterdam flights cancelled
Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport says that around 30 flights are scheduled to and from London Heathrow today.
“At this moment, half of them have been cancelled”, it said.
So far, one flight has been diverted to Schiphol.
Roads coming into Heathrow deserted
We’re on a bridge overlooking the entrance to Terminal 2 and 3.
It should be full of cars and taxis taking passengers to and from the airport but it’s deserted.
Some people seemingly didn’t hear the airport shut and were queuing at a roundabout nearby – police were there to turn them around though.
More than a nightmare for authorities and airlines as Heathrow closes for the day
The term “nightmare” is too weak of a descriptor to paint a true picture of the chaos this will cause.
Every type of crisis meeting you can imagine is taking place as authorities at Heathrow, and at airlines who rely on the world’s second-largest airport, work furiously to implement backup plans.
There’s a contingency plan for everything, but the issue for flight planners, airlines and airports across the UK and Europe is encapsulated by one word: capacity.
Gatwick has already said it will help as much as it can, but I was standing on the controversial north runway just a few weeks ago, 200m (656 feet) away from the airport’s only operational runway. A flight was taking off and leaving around every one minute and 10 seconds.
We were talking expansion that day – but the bosses made it clear, Gatwick is slammed. It’s full. Its ability to help will be highly limited.
Airports in Europe and in the UK are already pitching in. Some passengers have been diverted to Manchester; no doubt they are sighing a breath of relief to be just hundreds of miles away from their intended destination.
The implications will stretch far wider than Heathrow
Airports and airlines have two key challenges as emergency services work to establish the cause of the nearby fire. First, what on earth can they do to limit the damage to travellers and the economy?
The second challenge extends beyond today. Flight plans are meticulously orchestrated and choreographed to make sure aircraft are in the right place at the right time.
Aircraft will be parked in far-flung airports, passengers will have questions and authorities will be keen to understand the impact of the disruption.
The implications will stretch far wider than Heathrow, and could impact flights much further afield.
Photos show emergency crews working near electrical substation
Photos show emergency vehicles filling the streets and firefighters working near the site.
National Grid says power outage has impacted tens of thousands of homespublished at 07:3407:34
We’ve just had another update from National Grid, which says that as of 06:00 GMT power had been restored to 62,000 customers, with 4,900 still without power.
As we reported earlier, it says a fire at its North Hyde substation in West London had damaged equipment and caused a loss of power supply to some areas.
“We are working at speed to restore power supplies as quickly as possible,” National Grid says in a post on social media, external, adding “restoration efforts will continue this morning and further updates will be provided.”
Nearby rail services are also taking a hit
It’s not just flights – trains around Heathrow are also being disrupted today.
The Heathrow Express, which connects the airport with Paddington station, says there are no services in either direction today, and is advising people not to try and travel to the airport.
On the Elizabeth Line, Transport for London says there is no service between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport, with severe delays between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington.
So far, Transport for London says that there is good service on the Piccadilly Line.
Travel chaos will be long-lasting for some
Travel problems are going to be slightly longer-lasting for some people.
Diversion to Holland, to Frankfurt, all the way to Manchester for the lucky people who can get trains and coaches down.
Meanwhile, planes parked up in different airports around the world now have to be relocated.
Gatwick Airport had said it would step in and help as much as it can, but it is at capacity and it’s not realistic to think it will be able to take on much more.
There are other airports in the London area, such as Stansted and Luton, but capacity is still limited.
SOURCE: EURONEWS
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