London’s Heathrow Airport to resume flights after disruption due to fire at power substation

London’s Heathrow Airport has announced that flight operations will resume following a disruption caused by a fire at a power substation. The airport expects to run a full schedule by tomorrow.

In a statement, Heathrow officials confirmed that efforts are underway to prioritize the repatriation and relocation of aircraft following the disruption.

“We hope to run a full operation tomorrow,” the airport said, adding that its immediate focus remains on managing affected flights.

Heathrow also issued an apology for the inconvenience caused by the incident, though specific details about the disruption were not provided.

Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules.

This marks the second fire-related incident to disrupt operations at London’s Heathrow Airport this month. On March 10, passengers were warned of possible delays and congestion after a car caught fire in a tunnel near the terminal.

According to a Reuters report, at least 120 inbound flights to Heathrow had to be diverted, while services for an additional 1,351 flights were also impacted.

Heathrow, named after the historic hamlet of Heath Row—demolished in 1944 to make way for the airfield—is the UK’s busiest airport, handling approximately 80 million passengers annually with around 1,300 daily takeoffs and landings, as per an AFP report.

In a statement on X, Heathrow Airport’s official account confirmed, “Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.”

An AP report further detailed that the fire broke out at a transformer within an electrical substation in west London at 11:23 p.m. on March 20, prompting the evacuation of about 150 people. The incident not only affected the airport but also left at least 16,000 homes in the Hayes area without power.