London Heathrow Airport warned of power supply vulnerabilities days before major outage disrupted 300,000 passengers

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) bosses were warned about vulnerabilities in the airport’s power supply just days before a major outage, UK MPs have heard. The power failure, which occurred on 21 March following a fire at an electricity substation in west London, led to the closure of Europe’s busiest airport for a day, affecting nearly 300,000 passengers. Over 1,400 flights were cancelled or diverted, costing airlines an estimated £100 million in lost revenue and passenger care expenses.

Details on Heathrow Airport’s committee meeting with UK MPs

Nigel Wicking, Chief Executive of the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee (HAOC), told MPs that he raised concerns about the airport’s power resilience on 15 March, after cable thefts disrupted power to runway lights. Wicking emphasised that the airport should have addressed the issue urgently, stating that Heathrow’s Terminal 5 could have been operational by late morning on the day of the outage to resume repatriation flights. However, Heathrow’s Chief Executive, Thomas Woldbye, defended the decision to close the airport, calling it “disastrous” to keep it open. Woldbye explained that continuing operations would have stranded tens of thousands of passengers with no way to accommodate them, while also posing safety risks due to downed fire surveillance and CCTV systems.

The outage also caused significant communication problems, with Wicking noting that a Teams call to provide updates to those affected was “maxed out” with 1,000 participants. This raised further concerns about Heathrow’s infrastructure, especially given its status as one of the most expensive airports globally, where airlines and passengers expect high-quality service and resilience.

Wicking argued that resilience should have been a priority, saying, “It is the most expensive airport in the world with regard to passenger challenges,” and that Heathrow should have the best service and infrastructure. He also revealed that a 2018 review of Heathrow’s resilience had not been shared with airlines, questioning the transparency of airport management.

The disruption was felt beyond passengers, with businesses in west London and the UK economy suffering millions in losses. British Airways (BA) alone incurred tens of millions in costs. Passengers also experienced emotional distress, missing important events like weddings and funerals due to flight cancellations.

The committee plans to question officials from National Grid and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks about the role of the local grid in the incident. MPs will seek clarity on how the airport’s infrastructure failed, whether the risks were recognised, and how Heathrow coordinated with other airports to accommodate diverted flights. They will also ask about plans to compensate affected passengers and stakeholders.

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