Mon, 24 Mar 2025

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 Heathrow closure deeply concerning, says PM

Sir Keir Starmer says he is 'deeply concerned' about the closure of Heathrow Airport as a result of a power cut caused by a fire on Friday.

* The UK's largest airport, Heathrow, was closed for 18 hours on Friday due to a power cut caused by a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
* Around 200,000 passengers were affected by the closure.
* Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer expressed "deep concern" over the incident and said there are questions that need to be answered about Heathrow's decision to shut down.
* Heathrow has defended its decision, saying it was necessary due to the time it took to switch to alternative power supplies.
* The airport's resilience and disaster plans have been questioned, with some suggesting that they were inadequate.
* An investigation has been ordered by the government to establish what happened, with initial findings expected within six weeks.
* A review of Heathrow's crisis management plans will also be undertaken by former transport secretary Ruth Kelly.
* Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she had confidence in Heathrow's leadership team, but acknowledged that there were lessons to be learned from the incident.
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