Heathrow Airport Fully Operational After Fire-Induced Power Outage

The airport resumed normal operations on March 22, following a fire at an electrical substation that disrupted global travel and exposed infrastructure vulnerabilities.

A fire at the Hayes electrical substation on March 21 caused a significant power outage, forcing Heathrow Airport to close and cancel all 1,350 scheduled flights for the day.
The disruption affected approximately 200,000 passengers and led to the diversion of over 120 flights to other airports across the UK and Europe.
Investigations ruled out intentional sabotage, focusing instead on the failure of electrical equipment, including a transformer containing 25,000 liters of cooling oil.
Criticism has emerged over Heathrow's reliance on a single power source and insufficient backup systems, with calls for improved infrastructure resilience.
The financial impact of the closure is estimated to exceed £50 million, with recovery efforts expected to address ongoing logistical challenges in the coming days.