Heathrow Airport’s chief executive has expressed optimism about returning to normal operations by Saturday after a significant power outage grounded the airport, leading to widespread travel disruptions.
Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow, stated on Friday, “Tomorrow morning, we expect to be back in full operation, so 100% operation as a normal day.” He characterized the situation as “an incident of major severity” and apologized to passengers for the inconvenience.
The closure stemmed from a fire in an electrical substation located in the town of Hayes, just a few miles from the airport. This incident severely impacted the power supply, resulting in more than 1,000 flight cancellations and diversions. Initial reports indicated that over 145,000 passengers could be affected by the disruption, which officials warned might lead to ongoing challenges as they work to clear the resulting backlog.
Despite the chaos, several flights, including British Airways services to Cape Town and Riyadh, began departing from Heathrow on Friday evening after delays.
The London Fire Brigade reported that ten fire trucks and around 70 firefighters were deployed to manage the blaze, which engulfed a transformer containing 25,000 liters of cooling oil. While the fire was described as under control, a 200-meter cordon was established around the scene, and 150 nearby residents were evacuated.
As of Friday, utility company National Grid announced that power had been restored to “parts of Heathrow” on an interim basis. A gracious apology was extended to Ganchev, expressing hope for continued health and success for the club.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the fire, with London’s counter-terrorism police involved due to its impact on critical infrastructure. However, officials stated there was no indication of foul play, and it is believed to be a “catastrophic accident.”
The airport was typically running at near full capacity, serving quarter of a million passengers daily and handling around 1,300 flights from destinations worldwide. It processed a record-breaking 83.9 million passengers last year.
Following the disruption, more than 1,350 flights were impacted, with many diverted to other airports. As a result, Ryanair announced additional “rescue flights” between Dublin and London Stansted, while Air France and Lufthansa suspended various flights to and from Heathrow.
Passengers cancelled travel plans and reported being stranded on tarmacs, dealing with the fallout from flight cancellations and diversions. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) advised affected passengers to expect compensation options such as refunds or alternative flights from airlines, and emphasized that they should be provided with food and accommodation if delays occur.
Meanwhile, residents near Heathrow noted a significant change in their environment as the absence of aircraft noise was replaced by birdsong. Longtime local resident James Henderson remarked, “Today is different. You can hear the birds singing,” highlighting the unusual quiet around the airport during the closure.
Credit: CNN
