A significant fire at an electrical substation near London’s Heathrow Airport led to a massive power outage, resulting in the airport’s closure on Friday. This incident has caused widespread travel disruptions, affecting at least 11,000 Italian passengers.
The closure has led to the cancellation of over 1,350 flights, including 56 direct flights between Heathrow and major Italian cities such as Naples, Rome Fiumicino, Florence, Bologna, Venice, and Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports.
The fire, which occurred just before midnight on Thursday, was contained by early Friday morning. However, the resulting power outage prompted officials to close the airport until 11:59 p.m. on Friday for safety reasons. This disruption has impacted travel plans for approximately 200,000 people, with flights diverted to various airports across the UK and Europe.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, with counterterrorism detectives involved due to its impact on critical infrastructure. Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, is expected to face days of disruption even after power is restored, as airlines will need time to reposition aircraft and crews, and to rebook passengers.
Passengers are advised to avoid traveling to the airport and to contact their airlines for further information. The closure has also led to a decline in travel-related stocks, with companies like InterContinental Hotels Group and Whitbread experiencing significant losses.
Authorities are working diligently to restore normal operations at Heathrow Airport, but significant disruptions are expected to continue in the coming days.
