Power has been partially restored to Heathrow Airport, but the transport hub remains closed following a major outage caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation, leaving more than 200,000 passengers stranded and causing widespread travel disruption.

According to National Grid, an “interim solution” has allowed some power to be reconnected at Europe’s busiest airport, with lights and lifts back in operation in Terminal 4.

Despite this progress, Heathrow Airport announced on Friday (March 21) that it would remain closed until at least 11:59pm, and operations have yet to resume.

200,000 Passengers Affected, Over 1,350 Flights Disrupted

The full-day shutdown has impacted over 1,350 scheduled flights, according to online flight tracker Flightradar24, with a ripple effect felt across the UK and Europe’s wider air travel network.

Passengers have been urged not to travel to Heathrow under any circumstances, with airport officials warning that disruption is expected to continue in the coming days.

A Heathrow Airport spokesperson said:

“We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.
We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available.”

“We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation.”

Airlines Respond with Contingency Plans

Several airlines, including EasyJet and Ryanair, are working to mitigate the disruption by implementing contingency measures. EasyJet has announced it will deploy larger aircraft to support affected passengers, while Ryanair has arranged “rescue flights“ to assist with travel needs amid the closure.

Travellers have been advised to contact their airlines directly for the most up-to-date information regarding rescheduling or alternative travel arrangements.

Ongoing Impact and Passenger Advice

With Heathrow consuming as much energy as a small city, the fire at the Hayes North Hyde substation has exposed vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, prompting calls for better resilience planning.

Passengers due to travel through Heathrow this weekend are urged to check airline communications regularly and monitor updates from Heathrow Airport’s official channels.

For now, the airport remains closed, and it remains unclear when full operations will resume.