London Heatlhrow Airport flights resume « Euro Weekly News

Heathrow slowly reopens after substation blaze shuts down Europe’s busiest airport

Heathrow back in action as planes land after 18-hour shutdown

Heathrow Airport is gradually returning to normal after an intense fire at an electrical substation forced its closure, leaving around 200,000 passengers stranded and disrupting travel across Europe and beyond.

The first flight to land at the UK’s busiest airport was a British Airways jet, touching down just before sunset on Friday, some 18 hours after operations were halted. The arrival marked a cautious step forward as Heathrow lifted its closure order following the blaze, which triggered a major power outage.

Short-haul flights, including services from Manchester, began arriving soon after, with further departures planned for later that evening. To ease the congestion, the UK government temporarily suspended restrictions on overnight flights, allowing airlines to start chipping away at the backlog.

Over 1,300 flights disrupted as Heathrow chaos spreads

At least 1,350 flights were impacted by the disruption, with scores of planes rerouted to alternative airports such as Gatwick, Paris Charles de Gaulle, and Shannon in Ireland. The ripple effect of the outage was felt far beyond British shores, as airlines scrambled to reposition aircraft and crew across the network.

Despite Friday’s partial reopening, disruptions are expected to linger for several days. Carriers will need time to recover from the widespread disarray, accommodating passengers affected by cancellations and reuniting aircraft with displaced crews.

Heathrow fire: no foul play, cause under investigation

The cause of the fire at the substation, which plunged Heathrow into darkness and paralysed operations, is still under investigation. However, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband confirmed there is “no suggestion of foul play” behind the incident.

Heathrow, which handles more international passengers than any other European airport, faced one of its biggest operational challenges in recent years. Authorities and airlines are now working around the clock to fully restore services and bring stranded travellers home.

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