Travellers warned Heathrow chaos will last for days to come as 200k frantic passengers left stranded without answers

PASSENGERS have been warned Heathrow chaos will last for days to come as 200,000 travellers are left stranded.

British Airways Chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle, has released a statement following the carnage triggered by an inferno at Hayes electrical substation in West London, last night.

UKNIPHuge flames rising from the substation in West London[/caption]

PAFire crews remain at the scene this morning[/caption]

SelwynPicsA couple at Heathrow T5 this morning after learning their flight was cancelled[/caption]

BNPSPassengers from Perth, Australia, queue up at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport after having their 17 hour flight diverted away from Heathrow[/caption]

Darren Fletcher – The SunCrowds of passengers waiting at Gatwick Airport today[/caption]

Data from Flightradar24 shows the striking change in aircraft flying into London after the power outageFlightradar24

BA is the biggest operator at Heathrow, with 51 per cent of flights, including 341 scheduled inbound flights.

Mr Doyle said: “I wanted to a take a few moments to give you an update on how the closure of London Heathrow is impacting British Airways today and what that means for our operation over the coming days.

“As a result of a fire at a power station which started in the early hours of this morning, we’ve been forced to effectively ground our flying operation, cancelling every short-haul and the majority of long-haul flights that were scheduled to operate throughout today.

“This is an unprecedented situation, and we have not seen a closure of Heathrow of this scale for many years. Unfortunately, it will have a huge impact on all of our customers flying with us over the coming days.”

Mr Doyle told how his team are “working extremely hard” to resolve the issue and support customers.

This means “all available resources” have been drafted in to man phone lines and extend opening times.

“If you are travelling over the weekend we are also putting regular updates on ba.com and the Manage My Booking section of our website and app,” he added.

The CEO confirmed even when full power is restored, there will be “a substantial impact on our airline…for days to come”.

He told ticket-holders to expected “disruption” over the coming days.

“To give you an idea of the scale of disruption we face which we’re working to minimise, today we were due to operate more than 670 flights carrying around 107,000 customers, with similar numbers planned over the weekend,” Mr Doyle continued.

“In addition, our engineering and maintenance operation have also had no power. This is being addressed but is another example of the incredibly challenging situation we find ourselves in.”

The major power outage has seen more than 2,000 aircraft grounded and 145,000 passengers disrupted.

This comes as…

Follow our live blog for latest updates

Terror cops are probing the blaze

More than 2,000 flights impacted – with more than 145,000 passengers affected

67,000 homes were cut off from power – now reduced to 5,000

29 people evacuated and another 150 people from a 200-metre precautionary cordon around the fire site

No trains running to or from Heathrow today

Every flight CANCELLED from Heathrow Airport after fire sparked carnage – what it means for you.

Heathrow Airport closed: what are your rights and can you claim compensation?

The Sun’s Head of Travel, Lisa Minot, shares her expert analysis.

Major motorway linking Heathrow CLOSED 

Gatwick, Stansted and Luton flights today – check your journey

Find out when Heathrow airport will re-open

Fears PUTIN may be behind Heathrow fire as chorus of experts warn blaze ‘bears all hallmarks’ of a Russian sabotage plot

Passengers fume after Heathrow Airport hotels hike prices by 500%

While the UK’s National Grid said Heathrow is now reconnected to substation on interim basis, it will still take some time before the airport is back in action.

“The network has been reconfigured to restore all customers impacted, including the ability to resupply the parts of Heathrow airport that are connected to North Hyde,” a National Grid spokesperson said.

Since the shutdown began, passengers have been redirected to airports across the country, including Manchester, Gatwick and Stansted.

Travellers have also been diverted to Germany, France, and Ireland.

Expert electrical engineer, Tom Watters, said he believes the fire was caused by a catastrophic failure of an “oil-filled transformer”.

He told MailOnline the substation has “very old” equipment and blamed a “lack of investment” for the blaze.

“The design of the substation while being ok is also very old style. Modern substations are normally enclosed using gas as the insulation,” the engineer added.

A report for London Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2022 also found issues problems with electricity supply in the Heathrow area.

It warned the fireball substation had been running at 106.2 per cent.

It is understood officers from the Met Police SO15 counter-terrorism command attended the scene.

They are being kept updated with details of the sub-station blaze as part of routine enquiries.

There is no suggestion of any terrorist or foreign state involvement in the fire at this stage.

But even so, fears have been expressed that Putin may be behind the blaze as experts warn it “bears all hallmarks” of a Russian sabotage plot.

The fire follows a chilling wave of Russian intelligence-linked fires, bomb plots, and even assassination attempts across Europe – and has delighted Russian trolls.

Mad Vlad’s crony Dmitry Medvedev penned a remark on X amid the Heathrow shut down.

“I’m looking forward to Russia being blamed for the Heathrow fire,” he wrote.

“What are you waiting for, Starmer?”

George Cracknell WrightFirefighters wearing face masks at the scene near an electrical substation[/caption]

UKNIPWhite smoke continues to rise from the electrical station[/caption]

AFPAround 70 fire crew remain at the scene this morning[/caption]

And, in the US news anchors have been ridiculing Britain and the chaos unfolding.

To which reporter Greg Palkot, on the ground at Heathrow, replied: “You got it right, what a mess is correct.”

CNN presenter Isabel Rosales also reacted and told viewers: “What a major headache.

“So many questions that need to be answered and reflection that needs to happen on how a single substation could take out the back-up power source of such a critical airport.“

Earlier today Downing Street would not say whether it is confident Heathrow Airport will be fully reopened by Saturday.

Asked whether this would be the case, a No 10 spokesman said: “Well, it’s clearly a fast-moving situation.”

He added: “The fire is still burning and I’m aware that the airport has announced a complete closure until midnight tonight as a result of the situation.

Are you affected by Heathrow’s closure? Get in touch with [email protected], contact the news desk on 074423 720 250 or WhatsApp us on 0207 782 4100

“It will be for emergency services and Heathrow to update on timescales for when this situation will be resolved. We do expect there will be significant direct disruption in the hours and days ahead.”

There was a “cross-government call” on Friday morning to deal with the immediate aftermath of the fire, the spokesman said.

He added: “The Department for Transport is working closely with Heathrow Airport, Nats (National Air Traffic Services) and all key operators to understand the situation and ensure a quick resolution so that the airport can reopen and flights resume as quickly as possible, and clearly we will do everything we can to support those affected and get things moving again.”

The fire at a power station on Nestles Avenue, and subsequent power outage, has since closed the busiest airport in Europe until 11.59pm today – causing travel chaos and leaving thousands stranded.

London Fire Brigade’s deputy commissioner Jonathan Smith said in their latest update at 11am: “As of the most recent update that I have received, approximately 10% remains alight.”

The substation fire involved 25,000 litres of cooling oil fully alight, Mr Smith revealed.

He confirmed 67,000 households were left without power after the fire, and 5,000 are still cut off.

Mr Smith added how there is still no power in Heathrow’s terminals two or four.

When questioned about counter-terror police investigations, the deputy commissioner said all he could confirm was a Met Police probe.

“As you will appreciate, I won’t be able to comment on the investigations of the Metropolitan Police,” he told reporters at a press conference.

“All I can say is the Metropolitan Police are investigating the cause of this fire, ably assisted by our fire investigation officers. 

“We will, of course, assist with that process.”

Sir Keir Starmer thanked the emergency services in a post to X.

The Prime Minister said: “I know the situation in Heathrow is causing distress and disruption, especially for those travelling or without power in their homes.

“I’m receiving regular updates and I’m in close contact with partners on the ground.

“Thanks to our emergency workers for keeping people safe.”

SWNSWeary holidaymakers wait outside the terminal[/caption]

Sky NewsThe fire involved 25,000 litres of cooling oil fully alight[/caption]

LNPApocalyptic scenes this morning as roads leading to the airport remain empty[/caption]

FlightradarFlightRadar shows the sheer volume of aircraft arriving to the UK[/caption]

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has now spoken to Thomas Woldbye, the Heathrow chief executive.

Ms Alexander said: “This morning, I spoke with Heathrow Airport’s chief executive to hear the latest on the unprecedented power outage and I am reassured they’re working tirelessly to reopen the airport as soon as possible.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in responding to this situation – particularly the emergency workers who have worked to contain the fire and keep everyone safe.

“I appreciate how disruptive this situation is for passengers, but until they hear otherwise, the advice remains to avoid travelling to Heathrow.”

The shut-down has had a huge knock-on affect across the country as flights bound for Heathrow were diverted to other airports.

Crowds and queues were seen at Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh airports and even in Paris as long-haul flights were forced to land there.

And the impact is set to be felt for days to come.

A driver who witnessed the inferno, and its shocking aftermath, described it as “absolutely apocalyptic”.

Adeel Anwar told Sky News: “The sky was darkening and it was just a scene that was chaotic. It looked like something out of a movie.”

He said he could feel heat emanating from the blaze with his window down.

“I tried to just get out of the area as quickly as possible. I was not messing around there,” added Adeel.

“You have to make a split decision. I’m not stopping to look around at something that is massive in size and just billowing black smoke.”

In total, the airport closure is expected to impact more than 2,000 flights, according to Cirium.

Early this morning, 120 planes already circulating Heathrow airspace are being diverted or turned around.

Passengers from across the globe, from San Francisco to Australia have been impacted, with around 2,000 flights to and from Heathrow set to be affected.

The airport was set to welcome 665 departures today, which is around 145,094 seats.

A further 669 flights were also due to arrive today, equating to 145,836 seats.

In total the airport was expected to see over 2,000 scheduled flights today, flying up 291,000 passengers.

British Airways has the largest share of flights from the airport, 51 per cent, followed by Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa.

Rail services to and from Heathrow – which more than 200,000 people travel through every day – have also been cancelled today, National Rail said.

It comes as thousands of homes are also without power after the blaze broke out at a substation in Hayes, West London, shortly after 11pm on Thursday.

A spokesman for Heathrow has said: “Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation.

“Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored.

“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 11.59pm on March 21.

“We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.”

A statement adds: “Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

The carnage continues this morning as weary travellers reported being told their holiday had been scrapped less than an hour before departure.

Devastated holidaymakers have been waiting with suitcases outside terminals after being turned away.

Shocking footage has also revealed the extent of damage caused by the blaze.

Fire crews remain at the scene, on Nestles Avenue in Hayes, this morning and continue to douse the area with water.

White smoke can still be seen rising from the scorched wreckage.

London Fire Brigade reported 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters arrived just before 6am with part of a transformer still on fire.

The fire brigade evacuated 29 people nearby and another 150 people from a 200-metre precautionary cordon around the site.

Terror cops were called to the scene but it was part of routine enquiries and there is no suggestion of any terrorist or foreign state involvement in the fire.

A National Grid spokesperson said the fire damaged equipment and crews were “working at speed to restore power supplies as quickly as possible”.

The fire was brought under control at around 8am.

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband told BBC Breakfast: “My understanding from the grid is 100,000 homes were without power as a result of this fire overnight.

“The figure they gave to me a short time ago was that that’s down now to 4,000.

“But, obviously, this is a fast-moving situation and we will be doing everything we can to work with grid on the work they’re doing to restore power.”

Asked how the fire was able to disrupt the UK’s busiest airport, Mr Miliband added: “We don’t know the cause of this fire. It’s obviously an unprecedented event.

“But I think what you’re right to say is we will want to understand both the causes of this event and what lessons, if any, it can teach us.”

The Energy Secretary also told LBC there is “no suggestion of foul play” in the fire.

He said: “We’ve got to get power restored as quickly as possible and Heathrow opened as quickly as possible.

“But the truth it’s going to take time to unwind the disruption for obvious reasons.

“There’s no suggestion there is any foul play.”

Speaking to Sky News, he added: “There was a backup generator but it was also affected by the fire, which gives a sense of how unusual and unprecedented it was.

“There’s a second back-up which they are seeking to use to restore power.”

Meanwhile Mayor of London Sadiq Khan shared on X: “I know this will be hugely frustrating for the many thousands expecting to travel to and from Heathrow today, the families who have had their power cut and the commuters who have had their journeys disrupted.

“Electricity suppliers are working hard to restore power, but Heathrow Airport have said they will be closed all day and has warned of significant disruption over the coming days.

“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport under any circumstances and I urge Londoners to follow the advice of emergency services and their travel providers.” 

It comes as FlightRadar24 shows aircraft being diverted to a range of airports including those in Germany, France, Ireland and Manchester.

The diversions include one flight from London to Bangkok which reached Brussels before having to return to Heathrow.

Flights from Johannesburg and Perth into the capital are also having to land at Gatwick Airport.

FRUSTRATED HOLIDAYMAKERS

Ladelle Hash, 47, organiser of a group of 31 New Mexico tourists, is trying to get home after a week in Scotland.

She said: ”We got on our coach at around 4 o’clock this morning to get to the airport three hours early. As we were gathering our bags, we found out that Heathrow was closing.

”We’ve just been waiting – I’m trying to reroute us.

”One of my travellers that was going to another state has been booked, but she’s going through Rome now.

“She’s getting over to Rome, before going to Philadelphia and then to Chicago – she’s going to be all over the place.

”I’m just hoping that they’ll get us flown to another big city by this afternoon – hopefully Dublin or Paris, so we can still get home, just a bit later than we’d hoped.”

Fellow passengers Andrew Sri, his wife and their three young children, had travelled to England from Dallas, Texas, to visit Andrew’s sister Andrea, who lives in Greenwich, east London.

They were meant to catch their return flight to Dallas on Friday but were told on arrival at Heathrow that the airport was closed.

“I just wish they had updated us accordingly,” Mr Sri said.

“At the moment, the schedule on our flight says it’s delayed, so that’s why we drove out. So now we’ve got here and they told us, actually the airport’s been shut down, so it’s a little bit disappointing.”

His three children, aged eight to one year old, were asleep in the car.

“Obviously something happened and they’re taking precautions, and we understand that. We just wish we were given a heads-up warning not to come here.”

Meanwhile a British Airways customer said she risks losing nearly £1,500.

Maria La Chica, 47, from Basingstoke, was due to fly from Heathrow to Washington DC at midday on Friday and was excited about watching her favourite ice hockey team, the Washington Capitals.

The project manager told the PA news agency she felt “quite annoyed” as her flight with BA is currently delayed.

“I had really been looking forward to this (trip). It was like my treat to myself having had some personal events, so it’s just very annoying,” she said.

“I’ve had this (trip) booked for a little bit. The most important player of the (ice hockey) team is about to beat a record, so I wanted to see them before this record was done, but it’s not going to happen now.”

Ms La Chica considered booking alternative flights from other airports but her available options were “incredibly expensive” having already spent £600 on her flight, a further £600 on accommodation and around £250 on the ice hockey game tickets.

“My thinking is that (BA) are probably waiting until the very last minute to tell people that their flights are cancelled, but that is very frustrating… because they’re not actually cancelling my flight, it’s still saying delayed so I do not know if it’s going today or not.”

Hadley Davydaitis, 43, a resource planning manager, and girlfriend Katrina Harris, 40, a therapist were set to fly to the Central American paradise with Air Canada for 14 days.

He said: “It’s an absolute nightmare. We’re stressed and desperately waiting to try and figure out what’s going on.

“In theory, we should be on the next flight. But there’s going to be a huge backlog, is that going to be tomorrow, the next day?”

He said his girlfriend woke up early due to the excitement of the trip.

“I looked at my phone for a little bit and the first thing I saw was the headline about Heathrow.”

It was a dream destination for the couple.

“I’ve wanted to go since I was 18 – the wildlife, the biodiversity, everything else. Katrina, similarly, has been waiting to go for years now and now we don’t know what’s going to happen.”

‘LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE’

Neil Hansford, head of the Sydney-based Strategic Aviation Solutions consultancy, told The Guardian the fire has triggered a “logistical nightmare”.

Surrounding London airports such as Gatwick and Stansted would be unable to manage all of Heathrow’s diverted flights.

“These airports can’t take anything close to the volume of Heathrow’s five terminals, where there’s an arrival every minute,” said Hansford.

And travel experts say fall out from the disruption will be felt internationally.

“The other question is, ‘What will airlines do to deal with the backlog of passengers?’”, travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt with Atmosphere Research Group told the Tele.

“It’s going to be a chaotic couple of days.”

A departure board in Singapore Changi Airport displayed an Air Portugal flight to London Heathrow as cancelled this morning.

Air India also announced its Heathrow-bound flight number AI129 from Mumbai is returning to Mumbai and flight AI161 from Delhi is being diverted to Frankfurt.

“All our remaining flights to and from London Heathrow, including AI111 of this morning, have been cancelled for 21 March,” the airline has said in a statement.

“We will update about resumption of operations as soon as we have more information. Flights to London Gatwick remain unaffected.”

Meanwhile, in the UK, Gatwick has taken on some of the diverted flights this morning.

Flights from Singapore, Johannesburg, Lagos, Cape Town and Doha were redirected.

A statement from a London Gatwick spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation at Heathrow Airport today and we are supporting by accepting diverted flights as required. Flights are operating from London Gatwick as normal today.”

Birmingham Airport also said it was accepting diverted flights, a spokesman said: “There will be no delays to Birmingham Airport’s own customers, due to any diverted Heathrow aircraft into BHX.

SelwynPicsPassengers stuck at Heathrow T4 this morning[/caption]

w8mediaAn empty arrivals hall as aircraft are diverted[/caption]

w8mediaWeary passengers waiting for updates at Heathrow[/caption]

w8mediaAll flights have been cancelled, delayed or diverted[/caption]

“Airports regularly take diverts as part of normal operations, and flights inbound to London Heathrow will use multiple airports around the UK, and Ireland, or alternatively may return to their departure airport.

“We will assist with landing any diverted aircraft during the Heathrow closure today and work with those LHR airlines to repatriate their customers upon arrival into Birmingham.”

At least six flights will also land at Shannon Airport in Co Clare, Ireland.

A spokesperson for the Shannon Airport Group said: “We are closely monitoring the situation at Heathrow Airport and are providing support by accommodating diverted flights as needed and our team is on-site to assist with the additional passengers.

“So far, Shannon Airport has facilitated six diverted flights originally scheduled to land at Heathrow, including flights from Toronto, Atlanta, Bridgetown Barbados, Boston, Orlando and Newark.

“The first of these flights landed safely at 4.26am this morning.”

Pictures and videos taken from the airport in the early hours of the morning show areas of the site in darkness due to the loss of power.

The London Fire Brigade safely evacuated 150 people from surrounding properties and a 200-metre cordon was put in place as a precaution.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne called it a “significant incident” that will continue to cause issues throughout the day.

The London Ambulance Service reported no casualties or anyone treated for injuries at the scene of the fire.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined.

The closure has caused a large build-up of planes around the airport

w8mediaBumper-to-bumper traffic is building around the airport this morning[/caption]

A fire has broken out at an electrical substation in west London

UKNIPPlumes of thick black smoke are billowing over the area[/caption]

UKNIPThe huge blaze has left thousands without power[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]