When will Heathrow airport reopen?

EVERY flight has been cancelled from Heathrow Airport after a blaze broke out at a nearby electrical station.

The blaze in question has now caused travel chaos for thousands of passengers — here's when Heathrow Airport is set to reopen.

When will Heathrow Airport reopen?

Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, is set to remain closed until 11.59pm on Friday, March 21, 2025, but this is not yet guaranteed.

Now, more than 4,000 flights have been subsequently cancelled over five days, and many have been diverted.

An expert has now warned that surrounding airports, including also Stansted, will be unable to manage Heathrow's diverted flights.

What has been said about the Heathrow airport closure?

Neil Hansford, head of the Sydney-based Strategic Aviation Solutions consultancy, told The Guardian the fire has triggered a “logistical nightmare”.

Hansford said: “These airports can’t take anything close to the volume of Heathrow’s five terminals, where there’s an arrival every minute.”

A spokesman for Heathrow said yesterday: “Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation.

“Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored.

“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 11.59pm on March 21.

“We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.”

A statement adds: “Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

What happened at Heathrow airport?

The blaze erupted late Thursday night (March 20) at the North Hyde substation, which supplies power to the airport.

Following the inferno, more than 100 residents were evacuated as firefighters tackled the blaze.

The airport, which is supplied by the substation, said it was among those impacted by the power outage.

Can you claim compensation?

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, passengers may be entitled to compensation if their flight is delayed or cancelled.

However, it's worth noting that airlines will largely view circumstances relating to the incident at Heathrow airport as out of their control.