by Our Correspondent in London
Travelers worldwide are grappling with unprecedented disruptions as Heathrow Airport will be closed for at least two days following a catastrophic power outage caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation. The major airport, handling more than 200,000 passengers daily, was forced to cease operations at 2 a.m. on Friday after the blaze sent a thick plume of smoke into the night sky and caused widespread power failure. According to sources within the airline, Sri Lankan Airlines has cancelled its flights UL503 and UL504 to Heathrow Airport scheduled for today.
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With no clarity on when normal operations will resume, authorities have warned that the closure is expected to extend through Saturday, with potentially longer-lasting effects. The fire, which broke out late Thursday evening, has already led to a cascade of flight diversions and cancellations across the globe, leaving an estimated 145,000 travelers stranded. As of Friday evening, 120 planes that were already airborne had to be diverted to alternate airports.
Among the affected flights are those from long-haul destinations such as San Francisco, Japan, and Perth, Australia. Planes en route to Heathrow from major U.S. hubs, including Dallas, Chicago, and Minneapolis, were forced to turn back after flying for hours. American carriers are rerouting flights to other domestic airports, while several international flights have been redirected to European cities like Paris, Amsterdam, and Helsinki.
The U.S.-based flight US 146 from Newark was one of the first affected, diverting to Shannon, Ireland, where it is now set to land just after 5 a.m. The chaos continued through the night as travelers across Europe, North America, and Asia were impacted, with numerous reports of frustrated passengers awaiting updates on their altered travel plans.
One passenger from Toronto, en route to Heathrow, shared his frustration on social media, writing: “They don’t have the heart to tell us.” Meanwhile, travelers from New York described circling over the city for hours, only to be informed mid-flight that they would return to JFK due to the airport’s closure. Some planes, like the Qantas flight from Perth, have now been rerouted to other European airports, preparing for the influx of diverted flights.
The fire’s source remains undetermined, and as of this morning, local emergency teams have been working relentlessly to manage the blaze and restore power. Assistant Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Pat Goulbourne, confirmed that 29 residents had been safely evacuated, and a 200-meter safety cordon was established. While no injuries have been reported, the fire has left thousands of homes and businesses across West London without electricity.
A Heathrow spokesperson stated, “We are facing a prolonged incident, and passengers should refrain from traveling to the airport until further notice.” With the entire airport gridlocked, many are left wondering when the critical transport hub will reopen and how the airlines will handle the ongoing fallout.
The closure, which has sparked ripple effects across global travel networks, is predicted to extend well into the weekend, disrupting travel for thousands more. Affected passengers are urged to check with their airlines for the latest updates, as authorities scramble to resolve the power crisis and return operations to normal.
