Heathrow Shutdown Sparks Flight Chaos, Thousands Stranded

A major shutdown at Heathrow Airport has led to widespread flight disruptions, leaving thousands of passengers stranded as authorities scramble to resolve the crisis.

According to a National Grid source speaking with the BBC, power is expected to be restored at Heathrow Airport within hours following a fire at a nearby electrical substation that caused Europe’s busiest airport to shut down.

According to the London Fire Brigade, the fire is still ablaze, resulting in power outages at Terminal 2 and 4 as well as affecting 5,000 nearby homes.

Counter-terrorism police are spearheading the investigation into the fire; however, according to the Met Police, there is currently no evidence of foul play.

Heathrow has announced that no planes will be departing today and cautioned about potential disruptions over the coming days.

According to a source at the airport, backup generators did activate; however, they weren’t sufficient to power the entire facility. An air industry executive remarked that this situation raises “serious questions.”

Our reporter, Rich Preston, writes that hotels and pubs near the airport are filled with stranded passengers eager for updates.

Eurostar announced that it is increasing the number of seats on its trains between London and Paris to accommodate airline passengers impacted by Heathrow’s closure.

On Friday, there will be two additional services operating in each direction, accommodating approximately 882 passengers per train.

According to Eurostar, passengers should review the website or app for booking details.

Adam Boggon from Culross is returning to Scotland for a friend’s wedding following his visit to the US.

He has been waiting at Boston Logan Airport since early this morning, hoping to learn when he can fly home.

He mentions that around six British Airways staff members are present, working to reroute passengers.

A representative from British Airways has arranged a flight for me through New York tonight, which might allow me to reach Loch Lomond in time for the reception.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” he says.

The prime minister’s spokesperson stated that “there are questions to be addressed” regarding how a fire disrupted operations at Heathrow.

Number 10 stated, “We expect those questions to be answered,” but emphasized that the main priority is bringing the fire under control. They also mentioned it was too soon to speculate on whether foul play was involved.

Downing Street could not confirm confidence in the airport reopening as scheduled at midnight, noting that the prime minister is being kept informed.

“The situation is obviously evolving quickly,” the spokesman says, noting that “it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect resilience checks” are being conducted at other major airports.

The government response is being spearheaded by the Cabinet Office. Earlier, a multi-agency call took place with officials from various organizations including the transport department, energy department, National Grid, Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Services, and emergency services.