Overview
- Heathrow temporarily closed Runway 27L after a grass fire next to the southern strip and moved all operations onto Runway 27R before firefighters extinguished the blaze and both runways were returned to service.
- Air traffic controllers instructed multiple go‑arounds and placed inbound aircraft in holding stacks over areas such as Biggin Hill and Bovingdon to merge arrivals safely onto the single active runway.
- The switch to single‑runway operations caused widespread delays, some cancellations and a reported figure of about 18 diversions that is currently not fully sourced by official bodies.
- London Fire Brigade and Heathrow airport crews responded on site with the Brigade reporting a recent surge in grass fires across the capital driven by hot, dry weather that increased the risk of blazes near the airfield.
- Passengers should expect residual disruption today and check with their airline for updated flight status because recovering normal schedules after a runway closure can take several hours.