Massive Fire Forces Heathrow Airport to Shut Down

Heathrow Airport has been forced to close until midnight following a major fire at a nearby electricity substation, grounding more than a thousand flights and disrupting travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.

According to aviation tracking site Flightradar24, an estimated 1,357 flights — 679 arrivals and 678 departures — were affected by the sudden shutdown, including around 120 that were already in the air at the time of the announcement. Several flights were diverted to European airports, with Amsterdam receiving the highest number at seven, while Gatwick, Frankfurt, and Shannon each accepted six diverted planes.

Trains to Heathrow have been suspended, and authorities are urging travelers to stay away from the airport. British Airways, the airport’s largest carrier, issued a statement warning customers not to come to the airport and pledged to update passengers as quickly as possible regarding rebooking and alternatives.

The disruption comes during one of the busiest travel periods for Heathrow, which handled a record 83.9 million passengers last year — equivalent to roughly 220,000 travelers per day.

Gatwick Airport confirmed it is operating normally and is accepting diverted flights.

The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage to the substation are under investigation.