Heathrow airport has finally reopened after a complete shutdown due to an electrical outage, but airlines are warning of potential further disruptions as they resume operations. Thomas Woldbye, Heathrow’s chief executive, expressed pride in the airport’s response to the fire caused by the outage.
Although the airport is now fully operational, airlines have already cancelled 100 flights on Saturday as they face the challenge of restarting their operations with planes, crews, and passengers scattered worldwide. British Airways, the largest airline operator at Heathrow, expects to cancel approximately 15% of its flights to and from the airport on Saturday.
The closure of Heathrow on Friday was a result of a fire at a local electricity substation in west London, leading to a power outage at the airport. The incident has raised questions about the airport’s and National Grid’s preparedness for such emergencies. Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has commissioned an independent investigation into the power outage.
A report from 2014 highlighted a “key weakness” in Heathrow’s utility infrastructure, emphasizing the impact of even a brief interruption in electricity supply. Willie Walsh, a former BA boss, criticized the airport for a “clear planning failure” in handling the outage.
Heathrow’s backup power supplies for critical functions were activated during the outage, but they were not sufficient to power the entire airport. National Grid is taking steps to enhance the resilience of its network following the incident.
Passengers at Heathrow on Saturday morning noted minimal disruption, with some expressing relief that their flights were unaffected. However, airlines are facing challenges in resuming their schedules as planes, pilots, and cabin crew are not in their designated locations.
Heathrow has added extra take-off and landing slots to accommodate more passengers on Saturday, but the availability of planes and crew remains a concern. The Metropolitan Police’s counterterrorism command is leading investigations into the fire at the substation, though the incident is not being treated as suspicious.
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