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Dozens of flights originating between London’s Heathrow Airport and LAX have been cancelled as the British airport turns away all incoming air traffic Friday due to a fire nearby.
Heathrow Airport is closed most of Friday after a fire at an electrical substation cut power to the entire facility. More than 600 flights were scheduled to land, carrying as many as 145,000 people.
The disruption has raised questions about the resiliency of Britain’s infrastructure. “I know the situation in Heathrow is causing distress and disruption, especially for those travelling or without power in their homes,” said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “I'm receiving regular updates and I'm in close contact with partners on the ground.”
As of Friday morning Pacific Time, some flights are expected to resume by the end of the day. Significant disruptions are expected throughout the weekend.
Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport, and a key node for connecting flights. A disruption of this size is likely to impact air travel around the world, as plane schedules need to be reconfigured. Other airports, including Paris’ Charles de Gaulle, have faced delays owing to changes to global air circulation.
United Airlines – which operates a hub at LAX – announced in a statement that it will allow those with travel booked to Heathrow before Sunday to reschedule at no extra cost.
Impacted travellers will also have the option to route their flights through other European airports – including Edinburgh, Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels. However, a United Airlines statement says it expects to operate most Friday departures to London.
16 flights were set to depart L.A. – area airports for Heathrow Thursday and Friday, according to FlightAware. Of these, four have been diverted, and the rest are presumed cancelled. An additional nine flights were scheduled to depart from Heathrow and arrive in L.A. Friday.
Most flights scheduled to pass through Heathrow on Friday are likely to be cancelled, delayed or diverted, even if the decision is not already in place. Those who have booked tickets should consult with their airlines to determine if they need to change their travel arrangements.
