Wed, 02 Apr 2025

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 Heathrow warned by airlines about power supply days before shutdown

MPs hear the airport was warned about power supply resilience days before the disruptive closure.

* Heathrow Airline Operators' Committee CEO Nigel Wicking spoke with Heathrow twice in the week leading up to the 21 March closure
* Wicking expressed concerns over the resilience of Heathrow's power supply, citing instances of theft and damage to wires and cables
* Heathrow's Thomas Woldbye defended the shutdown, calling it an "unlikely event" and a necessary safety precaution
* The airport was shut down after a fire at an electrical substation, with over 300,000 passengers affected by cancelled flights
* Wicking questioned why the airport wasn't more prepared, given its importance and the potential for power outages
* Heathrow relies on contracts with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks to maintain resilience, but this comes at a high cost, which would be passed onto airlines and passengers
* The shutdown resulted in 1,300 cancelled flights and significant disruptions, with some aircraft being diverted to Europe or back to their bases in India
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