London (Agencies): Flights at Heathrow Airport have slowly resumed after a massive power outage, caused by a fire at an electrical substation, forced Europe’s busiest airport to shut down for nearly 18 hours on Friday. The disruption led to the cancellation of over 1,350 flights, leaving around 200,000 passengers stranded and causing chaos across international travel routes.
The fire broke out just before midnight on Thursday at a substation two miles from Heathrow, with flames raging for seven hours before firefighters brought them under control. Authorities have ruled out foul play, and investigations are focusing on electrical distribution equipment. The power loss not only shut down Heathrow but also affected thousands of homes in West London.
After power was restored, the first British Airways flight landed before sunset on Friday, with further arrivals following soon after. By 9 p.m., Heathrow cleared its first departure to Riyadh, with British Airways operating eight long-haul flights overnight. The airport aims to resume a full flight schedule on Saturday.
However, delays and cancellations will persist for days as airlines work to rebook passengers, reposition aircraft, and reorganize crews, said aviation consultant Anita Mendiratta.
The disruption left over 120 flights mid-air when the closure was announced. Some flights turned around, while others diverted to alternative airports including Gatwick, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, and Shannon Airport in Ireland.
Residents in West London reported hearing a loud explosion followed by a fireball and thick smoke when the substation caught fire.
This is one of the worst disruptions at Heathrow since 2010, when Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted, grounding flights across Europe for days.
Despite having backup power systems, Heathrow admitted they were insufficient to sustain full operations, forcing the closure. As flights gradually return to normal, thousands of passengers continue to face long waits and travel uncertainties.