London: Heathrow Airport in the UK said it had disappeared at a nearby substation, destroying flight schedules around the world and it will be closed on Friday.
The London Fire Brigade said about 70 firefighters were in the fire in western London, which was the busiest in Europe and the world’s busiest airport, Heathrow, caused a massive power outage.
Huge orange flames and smoke can be seen shooting into the sky. About 150 people evacuated from nearby buildings, and thousands of properties have no power.
The fire brigade said the cause of the fire was not yet clear.
“To keep our passengers and colleagues safe, Heathrow will be closed until March 23,” Heathrow said in an article on X, adding that passengers are advised not to go to the airport.
According to Flight Trucking website Flighttradar24, at least 120 inbound flights to Heathrow Airport had to be transferred to other airports.
It said at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow will be affected on Friday, excluding flights that may be cancelled or delayed due to the absence of the plane.
British Airways itself plans to land 341 flights at Heathrow Airport on Friday.
“Heathrow is one of the world’s major hubs,” said Flightradar24 spokesman Ian Petchenik. “This will disrupt airline operations around the world.”
The impact is direct. Qantas flights from Perth to Paris, New York United Airlines to Ireland and a United Airlines flight from San Francisco will take off in Washington, D.C., instead of London.
Some flights from the United States are spinning in the air, returning to their departure point.
Chaotic days
Travel experts say the interference will go far beyond Heathrow Airport
The carefully orchestrated network of airlines depends on the aircraft that is at a specific location at a certain time. Dozens of airlines will have to rush to reconfigure their networks to move aircraft and crew.
“The other question is, ‘How will airlines deal with the backlog of passengers?'” Tourism analyst Henry Harteveldt is linked to the Atmospheric Research Group. “It will be a few days of chaos.”
A spokesperson for Heathrow agency told Reuters They expect significant damage in the coming days when power will be restored, said in an email.
On the grounds of London, many houses and businesses have no power. “Firefighters have caused 29 people to be safe from the neighboring property, and a 200-meter cordon has been established for preventive measures, and about 150 people have been evacuated,” the fire brigade said.
