Heathrow Reopens After Fire Halts Global Travel and Grounds Thousands

Flights at London’s Heathrow Airport resumed late Friday after a massive fire at a nearby power substation forced a full-day shutdown, grounding over 1,300 flights and stranding nearly 291,000 passengers. The unexpected outage sparked global flight disruptions, with long-haul planes diverted or returning to origin airports across Europe and beyond.

Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport and the world’s fifth-largest, said operations will return to normal Saturday. CEO Thomas Woldbye apologized for the disruption and acknowledged the power grid’s vulnerability, noting that while backup systems functioned, they couldn’t support full operations.

Major airlines including British Airways, JetBlue, Delta, Air India, and United faced widespread disruptions. British Airways alone had 341 flights scheduled to land Friday, with its CEO warning of continued delays due to misplaced aircraft and crew.

The incident drew criticism from airline executives and passengers alike, questioning how a single fire could cripple such vital infrastructure. Experts compared the impact to the 2010 volcanic ash cloud that paralyzed European airspace.

Hotel prices near Heathrow surged to over £500 a night, and frustrated travelers scrambled for alternatives. The UK government lifted restrictions on overnight flights to reduce congestion, while investigations continue into the cause of the electrical failure.

Though authorities say there is no indication of foul play, the disruption raised concerns over the airport’s resilience. Critics called the incident a national wake-up call for safeguarding critical infrastructure.

As flights slowly resume, Heathrow and impacted airlines face mounting financial and reputational fallout. The airport emphasized it has emergency systems for landing planes and passenger safety, but admitted it couldn’t maintain full service under such extreme conditions. A full investigation is now underway.