8 sources·World

Heathrow Airport Resumes Operations After Power Outage Chaos

Heathrow Airport is fully operational following a fire-induced power outage that disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

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  1. Heathrow boss defends running of airport after criticism of shutdown

    Heathrow uses as much energy as a city every single day so we don’t have backup power for baggage systems, fuel systems, things like air bridges and so on.

    Heathrow boss defends running of airport after criticism of shutdown

    The GuardianThe Guardian·1M
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    This source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.
    ·
    Leans Left
    This outlet slightly leans left.
  2. Heathrow resumes operations, but disruptions could go on for days

    Like most major airports, Heathrow has an existing plan to mitigate risks, but this incident exposed its limitations, highlighting critical vulnerabilities and raising concerns over contingency planning at such a vital transport hub.

    Heathrow resumes operations, but disruptions could go on for days

    NBC NewsNBC News·1M
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    This source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.
    ·
    Center
    This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
  3. London's Heathrow Airport 'fully operational' after fire causes travel chaos

    The cause of the fire is still not known and currently under investigation but authorities have confirmed that they are not treating the blaze as suspicious.

    London's Heathrow Airport 'fully operational' after fire causes travel chaos

    ABC NewsABC News·1M
    Reliable
    This source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.
    ·
    Center
    This outlet is balanced or reflects centrist views.
  4. Heathrow boss ‘proud’ of response as airport resumes flights following shutdown

    The shutdown could affect around 150,000 passengers and inflict hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damages on the aviation industry, raising questions about Heathrow’s reliance on a single power source.

    Heathrow boss ‘proud’ of response as airport resumes flights following shutdown

    CNNCNN·1M
    Reliable
    This source consistently reports facts with minimal bias, demonstrating high-quality journalism and accuracy.
    ·
    Leans Left
    This outlet slightly leans left.
  1. CNBC
  2. The Guardian
  3. NBC News
  4. ABC News
  5. Associated Press
  6. CNN

Updated: Mar 22nd, 2025, 7:15 AM ET

Summary

A summary of the key points of this story verified across multiple sources.

Heathrow Airport has reopened after a power outage caused by a fire at a nearby substation led to significant disruptions, affecting around 290,000 travelers. The airport resumed flights on Saturday, with British Airways planning to operate 85% of its schedule. However, airlines warned of ongoing delays as they work to recover from the incident. Investigations into the cause of the fire are underway, with authorities stating that it is not being treated as suspicious. The airport's reliance on a single power source has raised questions about its contingency planning.


Perspectives

Compare opinions on this story from liberal (Left), conservative (Right) or center-leaning news organizations.
  • Heathrow Airport has resumed operations after a fire at a nearby electrical substation caused significant disruption, indicating that remedial power supply measures were put in place to restore functionality quickly.

  • Airlines including British Airways are working to manage flight schedules and accommodate stranded passengers, with expectations of lasting delays due to the complexity of recovering from the incident.

  • Airport authorities and the National Grid are under scrutiny regarding the reliability of power infrastructure, prompting investigations into potential vulnerabilities and the need for comprehensive contingency plans.


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