Heathrow Airport, the United Kingdom’s largest and Europe’s busiest gateway, has been forced to close its doors until midnight on Friday due to a significant power outage, as per Al Jazeera.
The closure is expected to cause widespread disruption and chaos for tens of thousands of travelers.
The airport confirmed on Friday that the power failure was triggered by a fire at an electrical substation that supplies the facility.
Heathrow is urging passengers not to travel to the airport and to contact their respective airlines for further information and rebooking options. “We apologise for the inconvenience,” the airport added.
According to FlightRadar24, the shutdown is anticipated to affect at least 1,351 flights.
Heathrow is a major international hub, consistently ranking among the top five busiest airports globally. It serves over 200 destinations in nearly 90 countries and territories and handled nearly 84 million passengers last year, marking a record high. The airport’s closure is expected to have a significant ripple effect on air travel schedules worldwide.
The latest news in your social feeds
Subscribe to our social media platforms to stay tuned