Heathrow Airport in London experienced a major disruption after a fire at an electrical substation caused the cancellation or diversion of more than 1,000 flights. The airport’s chief executive described the incident as “unprecedented,” noting that the outage affected the entire airport.
The Metropolitan Police in London stated that the incident was not considered suspicious but that investigations were ongoing. The disruption raised questions about the airport’s reliance on a single electrical substation. Residents in the area reported hearing loud bangs and seeing a massive ball of flame shoot into the sky on Thursday night.
The closure of Heathrow Airport resulted in chaos for travelers, with flights diverted to other airports across Europe and North America. Some passengers resorted to alternative modes of transportation, including trains and ferries, to reach their destinations. The closure caused significant disruptions for businesses that rely on Heathrow for the transportation of goods.
Heathrow’s closure was compared to the volcanic eruption in Iceland in 2010, which caused widespread air travel disruptions across Europe. The airport gradually resumed operations by Friday evening, with the first plane landing after the fire. Airlines worked to rebook affected passengers and alleviate the impact of the closure on travel plans.
Overall, the incident highlighted the critical role of Heathrow Airport in global air travel and the challenges posed by infrastructure failures on such a large scale.
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