Heathrow Airport Resumes Operations After Major Power Outage

A fire at a nearby substation disrupted over 1,300 flights, affecting 200,000 passengers, with investigations ongoing into the cause.

A fire at a power substation near Heathrow Airport caused a significant power outage, leading to the airport's closure for most of Friday, March 21, 2025.
The incident disrupted over 1,300 flights and impacted more than 200,000 passengers, with financial losses estimated in the tens of millions of pounds.
Heathrow resumed full operations on Saturday morning, March 22, though residual delays and disruptions continue to affect passengers and airlines.
The fire was controlled by 70 firefighters, and anti-terror police are investigating due to the impact on critical infrastructure, though no evidence of sabotage has been found.
The event has raised concerns about Heathrow's reliance on a single power source and the adequacy of its contingency planning for critical infrastructure.