Air India Flight Returns To Mumbai, Another Diverted To Frankfurt After London's Heathrow Airport Closure

Air India has suspended flights to and from London Heathrow due to a power outage that has closed the airport until 11:59 pm on March 21.

Air India has canceled its flights to and from London's Heathrow Airport after the airport was shut due to power outage caused by fire. (Representational Image)

Source : PTI

Air India has suspended its flight operations to and from London's Heathrow Airport after Europe's busiest facility was shut down for a day. 

The Airport has been closed throughout Friday over a "significant" power outage caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation that supplies it. "Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage," said the airport in a statement. 

"To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March," it added. 

It has warned of "significant disruption" over the coming days and has told passengers not to travel "under any circumstances" until it reopens. 

The development will affect at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow  on Friday, flight tracking website Flightradar24 said on X, with some 120 affected aircraft already in the air when the closure was announced.

Air India Suspends Operations 

The carrier said one of its flights, AI129 flight was returning to Mumbai while another flight  AI161 from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt. All other remaining Air India flights to and from London Heathrow on March 21 have been cancelled.

Flights to London Gatwick will, however, remain unaffected. 

"Due to a significant power outage, London Heathrow Airport has been shut down until 23:59 on 21st March. All Air India flights to and from London Heathrow for 21st March have been cancelled," said the company on social media. 

For more information or assistance, please call our Contact Centre at +91 1169329333 / +91 1169329999. UK-bound customers, please call +44 203 757 2760, it added. 

5,000 Homes Affected By Fire

The fire has affected almost 5,000 homes that remain without power after two  explosions and a fire at the substation in Hayes, west London, reported BBC. As many as 150 people have been evacuated from surrounding properties.

According to London Fire Brigade (LFB), part of a transformer within the substation is still alight with the cause of the fire yet to be determined. 

National Grid said it restored power to 62,000 customers at 06:00, and 4,900 homes remain without power.