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Heathrow Says It Will Reopen after Closure Causes Global Flight Turmoil

People walk past a departure board displaying Singapore Airlines SQ318 flight to London Heathrow as cancelled at Singapore Changi Airport in Singapore on March 21, 2025. (AFP)
People walk past a departure board displaying Singapore Airlines SQ318 flight to London Heathrow as cancelled at Singapore Changi Airport in Singapore on March 21, 2025. (AFP)
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Heathrow Says It Will Reopen after Closure Causes Global Flight Turmoil

People walk past a departure board displaying Singapore Airlines SQ318 flight to London Heathrow as cancelled at Singapore Changi Airport in Singapore on March 21, 2025. (AFP)
People walk past a departure board displaying Singapore Airlines SQ318 flight to London Heathrow as cancelled at Singapore Changi Airport in Singapore on March 21, 2025. (AFP)

Britain's Heathrow said it had begun the process of reopening on Friday after a fire knocked out its power supply and shut Europe's busiest airport for the day, stranding thousands of passengers and causing travel turmoil worldwide.

Heathrow, the world's fifth-busiest airport, was forced to close after a huge fire engulfed a substation near the airport on Thursday night.

"Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery. We’re now safely able to restart flights, prioritizing repatriation and relocation of aircraft," the airport said in a statement on X.

"We hope to run a full operation tomorrow and will provide further information shortly. Our priority remains the safety of our passengers and those working at the airport. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this incident."

The closure not only caused misery for travelers but provoked anger from airlines who questioned how such crucial infrastructure could fail.

The industry is now facing the prospect of a financial hit costing tens of millions of pounds, and a likely fight over who should pay.

"You would think they would have significant back-up power," one top executive from a European airline told Reuters.

Police said that while there was no indication of foul play, they retained an open mind and counter-terrorism officers would lead the inquiries, given their capabilities and the critical nature of the infrastructure.

Airline experts said the last time European airports experienced disruption on such a large scale was the 2010 Icelandic ash cloud that grounded some 100,000 flights.

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Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,085 as More Bodies Found

People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
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Myanmar Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 3,085 as More Bodies Found

People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER
People look at the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Pagoda following an earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, 28 March 2025 (issued 29 March 2025). EPA/STRINGER

The death toll from the massive earthquake that hit Myanmar nearly a week ago rose Thursday to 3,085 as search and rescue teams found more bodies, the military-led government said, and humanitarian aid groups scrambled to provide survivors medical care and shelter.
In a short statement, the military said another 4,715 people have been injured and 341 are missing.
The epicenter of Friday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake was near Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city. It brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads and destroyed bridges in multiple regions, The Associated Press said.
Local media reports of casualties have been much higher than the official figures and with telecommunications widely out and many places difficult to reach, it's thought the numbers could rise sharply as more details come in.
The World Health Organization said that according to its initial assessment, four hospitals and one health center had been completely destroyed while another 32 hospitals and 18 health centers had been partially damaged.
“With infrastructure compromised and patient numbers surging, access to health care has become nearly impossible in many of the worst-hit areas,” the UN said. “Thousands of people are in urgent need of trauma care, surgical interventions and treatment for disease outbreaks.”
A mobile hospital from India and a joint Russian-Belarusian hospital also were now operating in Mandalay.
With many left homeless by the earthquake, and many others staying away from their homes over fears ongoing aftershocks will bring them down, workers in Naypyitaw labored in the 40 degree Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) busily erected big tents in open fields to provide some shelter.
In Mandalay, local residents gave slices of watermelon to Chinese volunteers taking a break from the heat.
More than 1,550 international rescuers were operating alongside locals on Thursday, according to a statement from the military. Rescue supplies and equipment have been sent by 17 countries.
Myanmar’s military seized power in 2021 from the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, sparking what has turned into a civil war.
The quake worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with more than 3 million people displaced from their homes and nearly 20 million in need even before it hit, according to the United Nations.
As concerns grew that ongoing fighting could hamper humanitarian aid efforts, the military declared a temporary ceasefire Wednesday, through April 22. The announcement followed unilateral temporary ceasefires announced by armed resistance groups opposed to military rule.
The military said it would still take “necessary” measures against those groups if they use the ceasefire to regroup, train or launch attacks.
Already on Thursday there were reports from local media in Kachin state in the north of Myanmar that military attacks continued in several areas, but they could not be independently confirmed.
Prior to the earthquake the military was battling the Kachin Independence Army group. The KIA on Wednesday also declared a ceasefire but reserved the right to defend itself. It was unclear how the reported fighting broke out.
The earthquake shook Kachin, but there have been no reports of damage there.
In Bangkok, where the quake brought down a skyscraper under construction, the search for survivors and bodies continued as Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said a possible sound of life was detected in the rubble. By near day's end, however, nobody was found.
Twenty-two people were killed and 35 injured in the city, mostly by the collapse of the unfinished building.