What Caused the Heathrow Airport Closure?
Late Thursday night, March 20, at 11:23 PM GMT, a fire erupted at the North Hyde Electricity Substation in Hayes, just 1.5 miles from Heathrow. The blaze involved a transformer with 25,000 liters of oil, sending flames and thick smoke into the sky. The London Fire Brigade sent 70 firefighters and 10 engines to fight what they called a “major fire.” By 6:28 AM GMT Friday, it was under control, but the damage was severe.
The substation powered much of Heathrow. When it failed, the airport lost its main electricity supply. Backup generators kicked in to land planes safely and evacuate passengers. But they couldn’t handle full operations. At 4:30 AM GMT on March 21, Heathrow announced a full closure—the first in years and Emirates has announced the suspension of flights between the UAE and London Heathrow Airport.
What Happened After the Fire in Heathrow Airport?
Flights Grounded and Diverted
Heathrow had 1,351 flights scheduled for Friday, carrying up to 291,000 passengers. The closure hit hard. About 120 planes in the air were rerouted to places like Manchester, Paris, and even Canada. Others returned to their starting points. On the ground, passengers faced long waits and confusion. One traveller told CNN, “We waited an hour just to hear they had no answers.”
Chaos Beyond the Airport
The Heathrow Express train stopped running. Over 65,000 nearby homes lost power. And 150 people were evacuated near the substation. The ripple effect hit global travel, with delays stretching into days.
How Did Heathrow Recover?
Power Restored
National Grid acted fast. By 2:00 PM GMT on Friday, they rerouted power from two other substations. At 4:00 PM, Heathrow said flights could restart. The first plane landed at 6:00 PM—a British Airways flight from Gatwick. By Saturday, March 22, the airport was “fully operational” again, starting with a 6:00 AM flight to Zurich.
Lingering Issues
Recovery wasn’t perfect. Nine of the first 20 arrivals on Saturday were canceled. Airlines like British Airways warned of delays as they repositioned planes and crews. CEO Thomas Woldbye promised a return to normal by Saturday morning and mostly delivered.
How Did the Fire Happen at the Heathrow Airport?
The cause is still under review. The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is investigating due to Heathrow’s importance, but they see “no sign of foul play” as of March 22. The fire likely started in the transformer, though details are pending. Some online rumors blamed “net zero” changes, but Heathrow said its backups worked as planned—just not enough to keep everything running.
Is the Heathrow Airport Reopen for Flight Travel?
Heathrow is open again as of March 22, 2025. Heathrow speaks on X, stating, “Flights have resumed at Heathrow, and we are open and fully operational. Teams across the airport continue to do everything they can to support passengers impacted by yesterday’s outage at an off-airport power substation. Passengers travelling today should check with their airline for the latest information regarding their flight.”
Flights have resumed at Heathrow, and we are open and fully operational. All terminals and all car parks are open across Heathrow. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/VKv8DL8BEg
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 22, 2025
But the incident raises big questions. Can the airport handle another power outage? Will its infrastructure get an upgrade? For now, travellers should check flight statuses with airlines. The UK Civil Aviation Authority says affected passengers can claim refunds, meals, or lodging under EU and UK rules. Call Heathrow’s helpline at 020 8757 2700 for updates.
The Heathrow airport closure of March 2025 was a rare and costly event. A single fire exposed flaws in a global travel giant. As investigations continue, the focus is on making sure it never happens again.
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