Power Outage Chaos: Heathrow Airport Shutdown Sparks Global Flight Disruptions

A massive fire at a substation led to a complete power outage at Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest. This disruption stranded passengers, disrupted global flight schedules, and angered airlines, questioning infrastructure reliability. The incident highlighted the economic impact and the need for better backup systems in critical infrastructures.

Heathrow Airport was effectively shut down on Friday following a significant fire at a nearby substation, which knocked out electricity to the entire facility. This led to widespread passenger disruption, as global flights were canceled or rerouted, sparking anger from airlines and travelers alike.

The blaze, which sent huge flames and dark smoke into the night sky, raised concerns about the airport's reliance on a single power source, highlighting vulnerability in crucial infrastructure. Although authorities have ruled out foul play for now, counter-terrorism units are spearheading the investigation given the importance of the infrastructure.

Airline experts compared the scale of the disruption to the 2010 Icelandic ash cloud crisis, anticipating financial fallout in the millions. Flight schedules globally are expected to be disordered as airlines reconfigure operations. The lack of sufficient alternative power sources has fueled criticism from industry leaders.

(With inputs from agencies.)