Heathrow Airport announced a shutdown for today (21 March 2025) until 2359 in response to an overnight fire that caused a serious power outage. Over 1,300 planes originally flying to and from the airport are under flight diversions.
Overnight fire Causing Major Power Outage and Flight Diversions
A fire broke out at an electrical substation in West London yesterday and has caused major power outages. Heathrow Airport announced a shutdown for passenger and staff safety. At least 1,351 flights originally arriving at or departing from the airport are now under diversion to other nearby airports.
The electrical substation is one of the major suppliers of power at Heathrow, the fire has cut off the power supply for the airport’s operations, while around 5,000 households near the area are experiencing blackouts.
Global Shock from Impacts Caused by Sudden Shutdown
As one of the major hubs connecting the UK and the world, this major disruption stirs up chaos around aviation today, with huge amounts of travellers and flights impacted.
Travellers are advised to be aware of the most updated situations and be prepared for alternative travel plans in the coming days.
Follow for the latest updates on the incident and its impacts.
