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Original poster

Heathrow Airport is shut until Friday night

489 replies

Ozgirl76 · 21/03/2025 03:24

And my husband is due to fly home to Australia on Friday evening. I predict chaos.
Airport is saying that people should not travel to Heathrow and should contact their airlines.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
HelpMeGetThrough · 21/03/2025 15:57

Could hook up the airport to a Tesla with some jump leads.

Could then get another conspiracy theory going and blame Elon Musk when the lights go out again.

TheCatsTongue · 21/03/2025 15:58

tobee · 21/03/2025 14:44

Just to add to the conspiracy theories 👀 if it's not Russia, you can imagine there are Russian bots jumping on popular U.K. talk sites to drop in the odd casual "it's Russia" "no it's not, it's just U.K.’s rubbish infrastructure, rubbish country" posts; and seize the opportunity of creating uncertainty and add to the illusion we're weak and feeble in the U.K.. 🤔

Edited

Yep, if someone says it's Russia then they are a Russian bot, if someone doesn't believe it to be Russia then they are a Russian bot. Russia is so clever. How do you know that you're not a Russian bot yourself?

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 21/03/2025 15:58

Or maybe we can rustle up a few hamsters and a big wheel.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Flying Holidays
SpringIsSpringing25 · 21/03/2025 16:00

NancyJade · 21/03/2025 07:20

We were meant to be flying to Singapore today for a once-in-lifetime Asia trip. The news came on the radio as we were en route to Heathrow, so back home we went - of all the days! While it's a first world problem it's gutting that our carefully planned itinerary is now completely up in the air. While I'd love to think we could get our tomorrow and salvage it, it's unlikely really isn't it 😭

Oh no, yes, just bloody typical isn't it???

I hope you can get away soon and catch up on your itinerary somehow & and nothing gets spoiled majorly!!

I am really sorry for your disruption!!

The paper I feel for the most are those flying in and flying out to very ill family or friends where the delays might make a huge difference. 🥲🥲

YourAzureEagle · 21/03/2025 16:01

Pedallleur · 21/03/2025 15:26

its an electrical fire in a substation that provides power to a huge complex. there are no batteries or back up generators that can do that.heathrow is a small town. the airport wont be up running tonight as if by magic. someone has to reconnect the power from somewhere and the original site has to made safe. No aircraft are taking off/landing until the airport is deemed safe and functional. Thats everything aircraft related and groundside (baggage elevators, battery carts for moving passengers, toilets, a/c, check in computers and all safety systems). the fuel gets to Heathrow via a pipeline from a refinery. Not lots of road tankers bringing fuel in. is it inconvenient yes. But it's a single (busy) airport. the rest of the UK/Europe/World are all flying. if it was Manchester there wouldnt be this much attention

The substation will likely have several transformers capable of the load, our local one feeding Southampton has two sets of transformers, tap changers, breakers etc.

In a situation like this the busbars can be quite quickly re-arranged to temporarily run off another transformer if there is headroom in capacity.

But of course that work can't be done whilst the power is still on and a fire blazing.

The DNO or National Grid, whichever is the operator will have some spare hardware at their yard to make a workable solution whilst a new transformer is commissioned and built, that takes some months. There are places around the country that are substation hardware graveyards with kit ready for use that has been taken from other facilities.

FreedomandPeace · 21/03/2025 16:02

SpringIsSpringing25 · 21/03/2025 15:37

Why not?

Show quote history

Did u end up back in Canada @Scarftown
thought planes from there were being landed at Shannon

or were you not that far out anyway?

HowardTJMoon · 21/03/2025 16:09

Azureshores · 21/03/2025 15:05

Just bc one incident was supposedly proven not to be the Russians doesn't mean they're not actively pulling shit like this does it?

I doubt they take kindly to our support of Ukraine, our sending £££ to them for munitions and Kier "Tool" Starmers comments against them. Do you really think they'll sit back and do nothing?

I hope you are right and it's not Russia, and that someone was just having a sly ciggy in the control chamber and didn't extinguish it properly - bc the alternative is a bit scary.

Show quote history

If you want me to provide many more examples of conspiracy theorists making up total THE SKY IS FALLING!!???! bollocks I'll be happy to provide them. The CrowdStrike debacle last year was just the first that sprang to mind.

notimagain · 21/03/2025 16:14

Thisiswhathings · 21/03/2025 15:44

Sounds like power is starting to come back on

There are some rumours circulating about it “not being long, at least for a couple of the terminals, but the BA8 from Tokyo Haneda went into Newcastle at 1625 UTC rather than trying LHR, so looks like it’s going to be a while.

About the only things in LHR airspace recently have been press helicopters and a light aircraft out of White Waltham maybe taking advantage of the situation to do a fly around of the airfield.

Scarftown · 21/03/2025 16:18

FreedomandPeace · 21/03/2025 16:02

Did u end up back in Canada @Scarftown
thought planes from there were being landed at Shannon

or were you not that far out anyway?

Show quote history

We were two hours hour. Went to Canada to refuel and then back to Newark. We are now here til Monday morning by the looks of it.

pearlsofcats · 21/03/2025 16:19

It counts as an extraordinary event so no insurance. That sucks.

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 16:25

The internet in South Wales is powered by a woman on a bike. Surely this could be set as a backup?

Readyforseptember · 21/03/2025 16:25

Looks like they are going to reopen later today and get some flights out

LakieLady · 21/03/2025 16:37

llovemermaidgin · 21/03/2025 15:09

At last some common sense. The doom mongers must be loving this, it is the next drama post covid and col crisis.😀
Me? I'm off to buy a ton of pasta and 6000 loo rolls.

Show quote history

Don't forget the batteries and bottled water!

LakieLady · 21/03/2025 16:45

YourAzureEagle · 21/03/2025 16:01

The substation will likely have several transformers capable of the load, our local one feeding Southampton has two sets of transformers, tap changers, breakers etc.

In a situation like this the busbars can be quite quickly re-arranged to temporarily run off another transformer if there is headroom in capacity.

But of course that work can't be done whilst the power is still on and a fire blazing.

The DNO or National Grid, whichever is the operator will have some spare hardware at their yard to make a workable solution whilst a new transformer is commissioned and built, that takes some months. There are places around the country that are substation hardware graveyards with kit ready for use that has been taken from other facilities.

Edited
Show quote history

Thanks for that, I found it weirdly fascinating...

Clearinguptheclutter · 21/03/2025 16:57

Readyforseptember · 21/03/2025 16:25

Looks like they are going to reopen later today and get some flights out

i doubt they will get passengers on them but they may be able to repatriate planes and crews back to london, and perhaps send some crews and planes out, to hopefully get back on track tomorrw.

EasternStandard · 21/03/2025 16:58

YourAzureEagle · 21/03/2025 16:01

The substation will likely have several transformers capable of the load, our local one feeding Southampton has two sets of transformers, tap changers, breakers etc.

In a situation like this the busbars can be quite quickly re-arranged to temporarily run off another transformer if there is headroom in capacity.

But of course that work can't be done whilst the power is still on and a fire blazing.

The DNO or National Grid, whichever is the operator will have some spare hardware at their yard to make a workable solution whilst a new transformer is commissioned and built, that takes some months. There are places around the country that are substation hardware graveyards with kit ready for use that has been taken from other facilities.

Edited
Show quote history

Thanks for info. What is your view on the likelihood of it just being a fire not sabotage?

OuchyEars · 21/03/2025 17:01

Why are there no stocks of transformers, since they take that long to build? Do they have to be bespoke sizes or something?

RedToothBrush · 21/03/2025 17:01

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 16:25

The internet in South Wales is powered by a woman on a bike. Surely this could be set as a backup?

Best post on the thread!

notimagain · 21/03/2025 17:06

Stop press, From Eurocontrol, published at 1650 UTC

Aerodrome

EGLL (Heathrow)

Heathrow is available for limited repatriation flights in and out of Terminal 3 and 5 only.
No operations from Terminal 2 and 4.”………
“A return to normal operations is anticipated tomorrow, subject to successful remediation works overnight.

RolandsHairGel · 21/03/2025 17:06

quantumbutterfly · 21/03/2025 15:30

Your knowledge is better than mine 🙂
I just remember the discussion we had about it that day, he felt so uneasy and only realised that it was the absence of the aircraft noise that he was so used to hearing. I'd been listening in disbelief with my colleagues to news reports as it unfolded. You're right, the initial response was over far more quickly here than there.
It must have been disconcerting to be in the air that day after hearing the news.

Show quote history

We had that during Covid. Living under a busy flight path. During lockdown 1 and 2 it was blissfully quiet, even in between, after the 2020 lockdown the skies above were unusually quiet.

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 17:16

@RedToothBrush It's true. It took ten mins to load your comment. She must be cycling faster than usual.

HelpMeGetThrough · 21/03/2025 17:20

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 16:25

The internet in South Wales is powered by a woman on a bike. Surely this could be set as a backup?

I’ve heard that Bradley Wiggins is getting the Lycra on as we speak.

Pedallleur · 21/03/2025 17:22

OuchyEars · 21/03/2025 17:01

Why are there no stocks of transformers, since they take that long to build? Do they have to be bespoke sizes or something?

Very big, very expensive, probably built for the job. No one is going to have them lying around jic they need one every 20 years. Until today no one had any interest in how all this works and industrial everything is. These things are I think oil cooled and can contain up to 25000 litres of oil depending on size. If you watch Guy Martin on his programme on energy there are I think only 100 people in the country qualified to work on power lines. Doesn't seem to be that many for mainland Britain

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 17:25

@HelpMeGetThrough Bradley's a lightweight, he should try doing it in traditional Welsh costume.

pearlsofcats · 21/03/2025 17:33

menopausalfart · 21/03/2025 17:16

@RedToothBrush It's true. It took ten mins to load your comment. She must be cycling faster than usual.

If it took10 minutes she probably stopped for a coffee break!