Heathrow 'safely able to restart flights' after electrical substation fire shuts airport

The airport has been closed all day after a major fire at a nearby electrical substation.

Heathrow had issued a statement on X explaining that it had experienced a ‘significant power outage’.

Because the substation, in Nestles Avenue, Hayes, supplies the airport, Heathrow will be shut until 11.59pm tonight ‘to maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues’.

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

But now Heathrow Airport says it hopes to ‘run a full operation tomorrow and will provide further information shortly’, having announced it is now safely able to ‘restart’ flights.

Heathrow says its teams have worked ‘tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery’.

It also urges passengers not to travel to the airport unless the airline has advised them to do so.

In a statement shared on X, the airport says it will prioritise the ‘repatriation and relocation of aircraft’.

A spokesperson for Heathrow said: “Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery.

“We’re now safely able to restart flights, prioritising repatriation and relocation of aircraft.

“Please do not travel to the airport unless your airline has advised you to do so.

“We hope to run a full operation tomorrow and will provide further information shortly.

“Our priority remains the safety of our passengers and those working at the airport.

“We apologise for the inconvenience caused by this incident.