Flights at London’s Heathrow Airport resumed late Friday after a massive fire knocked out power, forcing the closure of Europe’s busiest airport for an entire day.
The disruption left thousands of passengers stranded and caused travel chaos worldwide.
Heathrow officials said crews worked tirelessly to restore operations after a fire at a nearby substation on Thursday night led to a total shutdown. Passengers were advised to stay away as the airport struggled to recover.
The closure disrupted 1,351 scheduled flights, affecting up to 291,000 passengers. Many flights were diverted to other UK and European airports, while some long-haul routes had to turn back.
While a limited number of flights resumed Friday to reposition aircraft, full operations were expected to be restored by Saturday morning.
“We sincerely apologise to everyone affected. We understand the frustration and inconvenience caused,” Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said.
Authorities have ruled out foul play but continue to investigate the cause. London Fire Brigade’s inquiry will focus on electrical distribution equipment.
The shutdown not only frustrated travellers but also sparked anger from airlines, which questioned how such a critical failure could occur. Industry experts estimate financial losses in the tens of millions of pounds, with a looming dispute over liability.
Woldbye defended the airport’s backup systems, stating that while Heathrow has contingencies in place, certain large-scale incidents are impossible to fully prevent.
