Heathrow chaos: Week-long airport disruption after substation fire

London Heathrow Airport, one of the largest in Europe, is facing considerable disruptions following a fire at an electrical substation in Hayes. According to the airport, operations will remain closed until midnight from Friday to Saturday Eastern Time. Aviation expert Julian Bray, speaking with the Polish Press Agency, estimated that the disruptions could last at least a week. Bray emphasized that Heathrow relies on a single electrical substation, which he described as a "huge mistake."

According to Bray, Heathrow urgently needs to resolve this problem, as it's deeply concerning that a single fire can shut down the entire airport due to the lack of a backup power source.

The substation powering the airport was not secured in any way, which Bray considers a serious oversight. It turns out that it’s not secured by any military fencing — just an exposed piece of infrastructure with no protection.

Disruptions at Heathrow could extend at least a week, as it will take that long to reorganize flights and services. After this period, the airport should be able to return to normal operations. In 2024, Heathrow served 83.9 million passengers, making it the largest airport in Europe by passenger numbers. Bray expressed hope that the incident would prompt airport authorities to consider adding additional electrical substations.

When asked about the possibility of sabotage, Bray stated that it is too early to assess, but he emphasized the lack of protection for the substation. "This could have looked like the scene in the 1969 film 'The Italian Job' with Michael Caine," he added, referencing a scene where an electrical substation is shut down by throwing a bicycle into it.

The situation at Heathrow highlights the importance of securing critical infrastructure to prevent similar incidents in the future.