London’s Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest travel hubs, has announced a full closure following a power outage triggered by a massive fire nearby.
The shutdown is expected to disrupt over 1,300 flights, impacting tens of thousands of passengers worldwide.
Heathrow authorities have urged travellers not to proceed to the airport, warning of “significant disruption” over the coming days. A flight analytics firm, Cirium, estimated that up to 145,000 passengers could face delays, with major flight diversions already underway across Europe and North America.
The London Fire Brigade described the blaze as a “prolonged incident,” with investigations ongoing to determine its cause. Meanwhile, 36 flights already in the air have been redirected, while some aircraft were forced to return to their departure airports.
The impact of Heathrow’s closure is being felt globally, with flights from cities such as New York, Singapore, and Perth among those disrupted. Experts warn the backlog of passengers could take days to clear, causing widespread travel chaos.
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