London's Heathrow Airport to remain shut today due to power outage

By Danny Lee

 

London’s Heathrow airport will be shut all day Friday after a fire caused a significant power outage, throwing one of the world’s busiest airports and the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of people into chaos. 

“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” the airport operator said in a statement posted to its website just before 3 a.m. London time Friday. 

 

Passengers have been advised not to travel to the airport and contact their airline for further information. 

 

Heathrow, the home of airlines including IAG SA’s British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, handles more than 1,400 flights and 200,000 passengers a day. Some planes already en-route were diverting, including flights operated by Qantas Airways Ltd., Delta Air Lines Inc. and American Airlines, according to tracking service Flightradar24.

 

The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters were tackling a blaze at an electrical substation in Hayes, just north of Heathrow.

 

“This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night. As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase,” the brigade’s Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said in a statement.