An unprecedented outage has occurred at the airport, affecting an estimated 677 flights for British Airways, 62 for Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd., and 42 for Deutsche Lufthansa AG. The financial impact of the disruption is projected to range between $80 million and $100 million, considering various costs such as accommodation, food, transportation, and operational consequences like flight rerouting and schedule changes.
More than 1,300 flights were either canceled or rerouted due to the closure, leading to major chaos for travelers relying on Heathrow Airport for transatlantic and other international connections. The airport's electricity grid operator reported progress in restoring power to the affected parts of the airport. British Airways anticipates substantial disruptions to continue in the following days as a result of the incident.
Investors showed concern as IAG SA, the parent company of British Airways, experienced a decline in its stock value following the blackout incident. Questions have arisen about the airport's infrastructure resilience, especially regarding the lack of backup systems to maintain operations during such emergencies. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband clarified that the fire at an electricity substation near the airport caused the outage but ruled out any foul play at this stage.
Heathrow is currently focused on repatriating passengers and relocating aircraft but anticipates a return to full operation soon. The airport's plans for expansion, including the addition of a third runway, may be reevaluated in light of the recent outage. Heathrow's ownership includes major investors like Ardian SAS, Qatar Investment Authority, and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
The outage at Heathrow interrupted thousands of passengers' travel plans, with airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet accommodating stranded travelers with additional flights. Previous crises at the airport, such as the airspace shutdown in 2023 and flight cancellations in 2006 due to a terror threat, highlight the airport's vulnerability to disruptions. The current situation at Heathrow is expected to have a lasting impact, affecting not only passengers but also airlines and airport operations.