Heathrow Airport closed all day Friday 21 March 2025

Not sure what it has to do with the PM.

I'm sure he has bigger issues to keep him awake at night.

Claremont

Disgusting to see hoteliers and other accommodation providers taking huge advantage of this, asking vast sums for overnight stays. The PM should issue a warning that profiteering like this is so wrong.

It’s not a matter for the PM’s involvement. It may be immoral but it’s not illegal.

escaped

If demand is high, the price goes up. That's how it is these days.

Does not make it right, and in the circumstances it is just disgusting.

Arsonists in Cornwall sazzl some controlled burns in Wales, others are arsonists and possibly trail bikers if you read the local news.

I thought it was just an accidental fire but when counter terrorism became involved I'm wondering if it was sabotage. Really hope it isn't
We seem to have a lot of fires atm, Wales, Cornwall all burning. Hope it's not linked. If it is linked could be to do with our support for Ukraine?

First flight now landed.

escaped

If demand is high, the price goes up. That's how it is these days.

It will happen everywhere.
It does seem a bit mean-spirited, though.

Yes, as Norah mentioned, transitting through Schiphol is a good move.
Here in Devon, KLM has just launched a new service to Amsterdam from our local airport. Saves going up to London for us to get to say Italy or long haul.
🤞 for all those using Heathrow tomorrow.

If demand is high, the price goes up. That's how it is these days.

Disgusting to see hoteliers and other accommodation providers taking huge advantage of this, asking vast sums for overnight stays. The PM should issue a warning that profiteering like this is so wrong.

Jaxjacky

Some other airports have been put on alert Norah, our regional one included, but it depends on the runway length of some for the larger planes.

It's always logistics, innit?

Some other airports have been put on alert Norah, our regional one included, but it depends on the runway length of some for the larger planes.

Norah

Allira

Some which had set out were turned back, I think Norah

I'd imagine many were turned back, some say half way though the flight, may have had to divert - hopefully to somewhere easy for onward flights.

Interesting story of Gander, Newfoundland - stranded passengers comes to mind.

Hotels at Heathrow have been accused of profiteering, charging £650 pn. 😡

It must have been frightening for local residents, a loud bang then fire. They've been evacuated from their homes too

Allira

Some which had set out were turned back, I think Norah

I'd imagine many were turned back, some say half way though the flight, may have had to divert - hopefully to somewhere easy for onward flights.

Interesting story of Gander, Newfoundland - stranded passengers comes to mind.

The flight tracker is interesting

www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/heathrow-airport-closed-fire-flight-delay-tracker-b2719198.html

Norah

Allira

Norah

Will some planes divert to Gatwick or other airports? We've been diverted to Schiphol, then smaller plane to Stanstead. Worked well.

A few might be but Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe.

About 1,300 landings and take-off arrive/leave from Heathrow every day.

I know Heathrow is busy with landings.

I merely wordered if inbound planes were diverted to near airports? I'd imagine the news will inform - as will people's computer updates.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/heathrow-airport-closed-live-uk-london-fire-power-outage-b2719144.html
20 minutes ago

Some which had set out were turned back, I think Norah

Allira

Norah

Will some planes divert to Gatwick or other airports? We've been diverted to Schiphol, then smaller plane to Stanstead. Worked well.

A few might be but Heathrow is the busiest airport in Europe.

About 1,300 landings and take-off arrive/leave from Heathrow every day.

I know Heathrow is busy with landings.

I merely wordered if inbound planes were diverted to near airports? I'd imagine the news will inform - as will people's computer updates.

I'm far enough from Heathrow not to be affected by power loss but near enough to benefit from the quiet skies. I remember how quiet it was during lockdown 5 years ago. I rarely notice the planes as I'm used to it but we noticed the quiet on our walk this morning.

......and Rachel Reeves wants to "push further and faster" with a third runway for Heathrow while provincial airports around the country, which would have helped, have been closed down

Yes, read all about this on Facebook.

So sorry to hear this ..

SaxonGrace

The back up generator apparently used to be diesel, it was changed to electric a while ago in the interests of green efficiency, someone didn’t have their thinking caps on methinks, I suspect this will be a problem for quite a few days for 1000s of folks

I heard that the back up generator runs on biofuels, though no way of knowing which is true.

Apparently there was a planned outage beforehand, so I'm guessing that they were doing work on the substation, not all homes are out in the area though.
It is delightfully quite here in the suburbs of west London, far removed from the usual noisy skies.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg5dg4p2l0o

Counter terrorism police are investigating. Curiously I was walking with a friend yesterday deep in the countryside and we came across an electricity sub station which had a fence around it but wouldn't be difficult to enter for the determined. We both separately thought of terrorism as Russian sabotage continues.
Today's Food Programme, Radio 4 is all about food security. Apparently the UK has a list of 89 risk scenarios and the food supply isn't one of them. The programme goes on to explain why this is a serious underestimate. The relatively peaceful era we have lived through seems to be ending.

We just landed at Heathrow a day ago. We've been so lucky. I do feel sorry for all those displaced travellers especially the ones on long haul flights. They'd arrive already tired and have to try to work out what to do.