On Saturday, Heathrow Airport returned to a full schedule following a dramatic halt in operations due to a fire at an electrical substation on Friday. This incident created widespread travel disruptions affecting thousands of passengers as investigators look into its cause.
Heathrow Airport Recovers from Disruption After Substation Fire
Heathrow Airport Recovers from Disruption After Substation Fire
Flights resume at London’s Heathrow Airport amid ongoing travel delays following a fire that severely impacted operations.
The blaze, which broke out at a substation in west London, cut electricity supply to both the airport and tens of thousands of surrounding homes. Despite the Metropolitan Police’s assertion that there is no evidence of foul play, the incident resulted in a significant shift in travel plans for over a quarter of a million travelers, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
British Airways, Heathrow’s principal airline, announced that it anticipated 85 percent of its flights, totaling nearly 600 departures and arrivals, would continue on Saturday; however, extensive delays were expected. As a precautionary measure, the airline also canceled several flights on frequently traveled routes to allow for easier rebooking.
After a more than 16-hour interruption, flight arrivals resumed in the evening hours on Friday. A representative of Heathrow warned passengers to verify their flight status prior to heading to the airport, indicating that normal operations would take time to stabilize.
International flights resumed from locations including Hong Kong, South Africa, and Brazil early on Saturday as the airport aimed to return to normalcy. Thomas Woldbye, chief executive of Heathrow, explained that while backup systems functioned at the time of the fire, they were insufficient to keep airport operations fully running. The London Fire Brigade struggled to extinguish the fire due to substantial amounts of cooling oil stored at the facility.
Efforts by Britain’s National Grid have led to temporary power restoration to both the airport and other regional customers as investigations continue.
John Yoon is a journalist based in Seoul, covering breaking and trending news for various platforms.
British Airways, Heathrow’s principal airline, announced that it anticipated 85 percent of its flights, totaling nearly 600 departures and arrivals, would continue on Saturday; however, extensive delays were expected. As a precautionary measure, the airline also canceled several flights on frequently traveled routes to allow for easier rebooking.
After a more than 16-hour interruption, flight arrivals resumed in the evening hours on Friday. A representative of Heathrow warned passengers to verify their flight status prior to heading to the airport, indicating that normal operations would take time to stabilize.
International flights resumed from locations including Hong Kong, South Africa, and Brazil early on Saturday as the airport aimed to return to normalcy. Thomas Woldbye, chief executive of Heathrow, explained that while backup systems functioned at the time of the fire, they were insufficient to keep airport operations fully running. The London Fire Brigade struggled to extinguish the fire due to substantial amounts of cooling oil stored at the facility.
Efforts by Britain’s National Grid have led to temporary power restoration to both the airport and other regional customers as investigations continue.
John Yoon is a journalist based in Seoul, covering breaking and trending news for various platforms.
