Latest updates
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Counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation into the fire, the Met said - Many Scotland fans have been left hundreds out of pocket and stranded in Greece after watching national team’s Athens game
- Edinburgh Airport has advised any BA passengers with flights to Heathrow not to travel to the airport
- Aberdeen and Glasgow airports said all flights to and from Heathrow have been cancelled for the day
- Government minister describes fire at electrical substation as ‘an unprecedented event’
- Heathrow’s closure will cost the aviation industry millions of pounds, consultant says
- Fire at substation which led to closure of Heathrow was brought under control at around 8am
Counter-terrorism police are investigating after flights at Heathrow, including to and from Scotland, were cancelled due to a fire at an electrical substation.
More than 1,300 flights to and from the airport were disrupted on Friday due to the closure of the airport following the blaze at a nearby electrical substation.
The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire at an electrical substation in west London that led to the closure of Heathrow Airport, the force said.
Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports have all been affected, with at least 21 flights already cancelled.
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This includes the 6.35am and 8.15am British Airways flights from Glasgow Airport, and the 10.20am and 11.40am to Heathrow.
The 7.30am and 9am flights from Edinburgh to Heathrow have also been cancelled.
Both Glasgow and Aberdeen airports sent out a passenger announcement on social media, advising travellers to check with their airline.
It read: “Heathrow Airport (LHR) is closed today due to a significant power outage.
“We advise all passengers travelling to LHR to check with their airline before heading to the airport, as all flights to Heathrow have been cancelled.”
Edinburgh Airport has advised any British Airways passengers not to travel to the airport following the disruption at Heathrow.
The airport added it has not been asked to take any diverted flights.
They said: “Due to temporary closure of Heathrow Airport, all British Airways passengers are being advised not to travel to Edinburgh Airport and to contact British Airways for further information.
“Flights with other airlines to other London airports are currently operating as normal.”
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) is advising all travellers due to fly via Heathrow to check with their airline or travel agent as soon as possible following the airport’s unexpected closure.
A spokesperson said: “Heathrow is a vital connection point for travellers from Scotland heading to destinations around the world. Today’s closure is causing severe disruption, and the situation is changing rapidly. Travellers with connecting flights – particularly those heading long haul – should not assume that their journey will go ahead as planned.”
“When things go wrong, having a travel agent on your side can make all the difference.
“We’re hearing from SPAA members across Scotland who are working hard behind the scenes today to rebook clients, secure alternative routes, and ensure minimal disruption to travel plans. If you’ve booked through a professional agent, you’re not facing the stress alone.”
Online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said the closure would affect at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow.
It said 120 flights to the airport were in the air when the closure was announced.
Heathrow is the UK’s largest airport, with more than 83.9 million passengers travelling through its terminals in 2024.
A Heathrow spokesperson said: “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 23h59 on 21 March 2025. We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.
“We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available. We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation.”
Online tracking services showed flights being diverted to Gatwick, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and Ireland’s Shannon Airport.
A number of flights were also turned around and returned to airports in Canada and the United States.
Gatwick Airport confirmed it had accepted seven diverted flights from locations including Singapore, Johannesburg, Lagos, Cape Town and Doha which were originally destined for Heathrow.
“We are aware of the situation at Heathrow Airport today and we are supporting by accepting diverted flights as required,” an airport spokesperson said.
“Flights are operating from London Gatwick as normal today.”
Shannon Airport in Co Clare confirmed it had accepted six diverted flights from Toronto, Atlanta, Bridgetown Barbados, Boston, Orlando and Newark.
Heathrow Express train service announced it would not operate on Friday while Hayes and Harlington railway station remained closed on Friday morning, National Rail confirmed.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said on X there was a large-scale power outage in Hayes, Hounslow and the surrounding areas impacting more than 16,300 homes.
According to the power company’s website, authorities aimed to restore power by 3pm on Friday.
A National Grid spokesperson said the fire had damaged equipment and they “working at speed to restore power supplies as quickly as possible”.
London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were still on the scene at Nestles Avenue in Hayes just before 6am with part of a transformer still alight.
Around 150 people have been evacuated from surrounding properties and a 200-metre cordon has been put in place as a precaution.
Assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible.
“The fire has caused a power outage affecting a large number of homes and local businesses, and we are working closely with our partners to minimise disruption.”
Firefighters led 29 people from surrounding properties to safety.
Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.
The brigade said nearly 200 calls had been received in relation to the incident with crews from Hayes, Heathrow, Hillingdon, Southall and surrounding areas on the scene.
Emergency services were called to the scene at 11.23pm on Thursday. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Mr Goulbourne said firefighters urged people to take safety precautions as crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
“This will be a prolonged incident, with crews remaining on scene throughout the night,” he said.
“As we head into the morning, disruption is expected to increase, and we urge people to avoid the area wherever possible.”
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