Heathrow Airport Resumes Operations After Power Outage

London Heathrow Airport, the largest in Europe, has resumed operations following a significant power outage that disrupted flights and services on Friday. The airport announced this morning via social media that normal operations were gradually being reinstated, although travelers are advised to check with their airlines for potential delays.

On Friday evening, some flights began to return to the runways, and airport officials expressed optimism for a full recovery by Saturday morning. British Airways has indicated it expects to operate approximately 85% of its scheduled flights today, but delays are still likely as the situation stabilizes.

The UK Department for Transport temporarily lifted restrictions on night flights to alleviate congestion caused by the outage. Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye described the incident as unprecedented, highlighting that the fire, which broke out at a substation supplying power to the airport, caused extensive disruptions. While investigations are ongoing, Minister of Transport Heidi Alexander noted that there are currently no indications of sabotage.

Emergency services responded quickly to the fire, with around 70 firefighters working to contain the blaze. Woldbye explained that the airport has three substations, each equipped with backup transformers. However, the backup systems were also affected, leading to a reorganization of the airport's power supply. The CEO likened the outage's impact to that of a medium-sized city.

More than 200,000 passengers were reportedly affected by the blackout, with estimates of financial losses for the airport and airlines reaching into the tens of millions. Approximately 9,000 passengers in Germany were unable to fly due to the situation at Heathrow. The ripple effect of the outage reached worldwide, causing delays and cancellations for travelers across the globe.

As the first flights gradually resumed, some aircraft were diverted to other airports, including Gatwick, which served as an alternate landing point. The journey between the two airports typically takes about one hour by car.

Ongoing investigations will delve deeper into the cause of the fire, with airport officials emphasizing that thorough analysis is required given the incident's severity. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been receiving regular updates on the situation and expressed gratitude to the emergency services for their efforts in ensuring public safety.