Lisbon, March 21, 2025 (Lusa) - Lisbon airport has cancelled 18 of the 22 departures and arrivals of flights to and from London Heathrow scheduled for Friday, according to the website of the facility's operator.
Heathrow, Europe's largest airport in terms of passenger traffic, will be closed for the day due to a power failure following a fire in an electrical substation.
"Heathrow is experiencing a significant power failure," said ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal, a unit of France's Vinci. "To ensure the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 [same time as in Lisbon] on 21 March."
At least 1,350 flights to and from Heathrow have already been affected, including several flights from cities in the US that have been cancelled, flight tracking service FlightRadar 24 reported.
Some flights that were already in the air were diverted to Gatwick Airport, which also serves London, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Shannon Airport in Ireland.
In a statement posted on social media, Heathrow Airport Holdings recommended that passengers do not travel to the airport and advised them to contact the airline for more information.
"We expect significant disruption in the coming days," the operator admitted.
The company said it will update operations when it has more information about the resumption of power supplies.
National Rail, which represents railway operating companies, announced that all trains to and from Heathrow have been cancelled.
The London Fire Brigade has reported that a transformer inside an electricity substation in Hayes, west London, is on fire; it has mobilised a dozen crews and around 70 firefighters "who are currently fighting the blaze."
Deputy Commissioner Pat Goulbourne explained that the fire "caused a power failure that affected a large number of local homes and businesses" and that the brigade was "working closely with partners to minimise disruption."
According to the local media, the police removed 29 people from homes near the substation and, as a precautionary measure, set up a 200-metre security perimeter, resulting in the removal of a further 150 people.
Due to the amount of smoke, residents were advised to keep their windows and doors closed.
"This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as quickly as possible," said Goulbourne, before emphasising that the cause of the fire is still unknown.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said on the social network X that the power failure had affected more than 16,300 homes.
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