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London’s Heathrow Airport has partially reopened following a devastating fire at an electrical substation, which caused a massive power outage, grounding over 1,350 flights and impacting more than 200,000 passengers. While operations are expected to return to full capacity by Saturday, airlines have warned of ongoing disruptions for several days. The incident has raised serious concerns about airport infrastructure and safety, prompting a government investigation.

Power Outage Sparks Chaos at Heathrow

The fire, which began around 11pm on Thursday, erupted at an electrical substation in Hayes, located north of Heathrow. More than 70 firefighters battled the blaze in hazardous conditions throughout the night. By Friday morning, approximately 25,000 litres of oil had burned, with the fire continuing to smoulder, causing widespread disruption. The fire not only affected the airport but also led to power cuts for 67,000 homes in the area, with over 100 residents evacuated.

By Friday evening, engineers successfully restored electricity, including to Heathrow, allowing some flight operations to resume. British Airways restarted long-haul services, but short-haul flights remained largely grounded throughout the day. Approximately 120 long-haul flights that had already taken off when the closure was announced were diverted to other airports across the UK and Europe.

To help alleviate the backlog, the UK Department for Transport lifted night flight restrictions over London, meaning residents may experience increased aircraft noise overnight in the coming days.

Investigation Underway, Government Scrutiny Mounts

Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the fire, though officials have stressed that there is no indication of foul play. Early reports suggest the fire was accidental, but authorities remain open to all possibilities. CCTV footage from the substation is being reviewed, though no suspicious activity has been identified so far.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson expressed concern over the failure, saying there are “serious questions to answer” regarding how such an incident could disrupt Heathrow, Britain’s busiest airport. An inquiry may be launched once the situation stabilises.

Security experts have also raised alarms. David Omand, former head of GCHQ, referred to the incident as a “national embarrassment” and questioned why Heathrow could not switch to backup systems. Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), criticized the reliance on a single power source, calling it a “clear planning failure.”

In defense of the airport, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the situation as “unprecedented and beyond Heathrow’s control.” She noted that while the airport’s resilience plans were activated, those systems are designed to protect essential infrastructure, not power the entire airport.

Heathrow and Airlines Respond to Crisis

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye issued an apology to both passengers and staff, acknowledging the severity of the incident. He explained that the airport consumes as much energy as a small city, and restoring operations safely would take time.

A Heathrow spokesperson confirmed that the airport is working with airlines to repatriate passengers who were diverted to other airports. Passengers with flights scheduled for Saturday have been urged to check with their airlines before heading to the airport, as disruptions are expected to continue.

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle reported that nearly all of the airline’s operations were grounded on Friday due to the power failure. He warned that the effects of the shutdown would extend into the weekend and beyond, causing significant travel disruptions for thousands of passengers.

A Long Road to Recovery

While the airport has made progress in reopening, the full recovery from the power outage will take time. Officials have committed to conducting a thorough investigation to understand how the fire caused such a widespread disruption and to prevent similar incidents in the future.

With travel plans already upended for many, the full impact of the incident will likely continue to unfold in the coming days. Passengers are advised to remain in close contact with their airlines for updates on their flights.