Hillingdon (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Commuters face disruption as Elizabeth line trains are cancelled due to a fire near Heathrow Airport, causing a suspension of services in Hayes, Hillingdon.
Heathrow Airport was forced to close yesterday, March 20, due to power outages in the surrounding region caused by a fire at an electrical substation in Nestles Avenue at approximately 11.30 p.m.
In addition to affecting electrical rail lines, thousands of houses are also without electricity.
There are significant delays between Paddington and Hayes & Harlington, and no service between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport.
Transport for London (TfL) said on social media:
“Heathrow Airport is closed due to a major power failure.
Customers should not travel to Heathrow Airport and are advised to contact their respective airlines for further information.
No flights are expected to arrive or depart for the next 24 hours.”
More than 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow will be impacted by the stoppage, according to online flight tracking firm FlightRadar24. This includes 679 that are expected to land and 678 that are expected to depart the airport.
With around 83.9 million passengers passing through its terminals in 2024, Heathrow is the biggest airport in the United Kingdom.
Heathrow spokesperson said:
“Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation. Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored.
To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 23h59 on 21 March 2025. We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.
We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available. We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure you that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation.”
What is the impact of closure on Elizabeth line trains?
The closing of the airport has had an impact on the Elizabeth line, which links Heathrow with downtown London. The airport shutdown and power loss have resulted in the cancellation of trains to and from Heathrow Terminal 4.
In order to get around the inconvenience, passengers are encouraged to check for updates on alternate modes of transportation, such as buses or other rail services. However, given the extensive effects of the power loss, these solutions might potentially encounter difficulties.
The closure has also had an impact on the Heathrow Express, another important rail connection to the airport. This makes the local travel interruptions much more complicated.
Over the next few days, travel plans are anticipated to be significantly impacted by Heathrow Airport’s closure and the ensuing rail disruptions. In order to handle a backlog of customers, airlines and rail companies will have to reschedule trains and flights.