Thousands of people’s travel plans were thrown up in the air this morning (Friday, March 21) as London Heathrow Airport has been forced to completely close for the first time in 15 years.
All terminals at the airport, one of the busiest in the world, are completely shut right now, with no flights coming in or out for at least the whole of today. The last time Heathrow had to totally close was in 2010 after the Eyjafjallajokull volcano eruption.
Here’s everything we know so far about the Heathrow Airport shutdown, including how many flights are affected and whether you can get compensation.
Why is Heathrow Airport closed?
The total closure of Heathrow Airport is due to a fire that broke out on Thursday night at the nearby North Hyde electrical substation. It caused a full power outage at the airport. More than 4,900 homes in the area are also without electricity as a result of the blaze.
Authorities said the fire was under control on Friday morning and power has been restored to some homes.
How long will Heathrow Airport be closed?
For now, we know that it’ll be closed all day today. In a statement on social media, the airport said that no flights will be taking off or landing until at least 11.59pm.
What to do if you have a flight booked today
The overwhelming advice at the moment is to not travel to the airport ‘under any circumstances’ until it reopens. You’ll be turned away.
Which flights are affected?
At least 1,351 flights due to fly in or out of Heathrow airport will be impacted, according to flight tracking site Flightradar24. Many will be completely cancelled, while others due to fly into the airport may be diverted and land somewhere else. The closure is also expected to affect flights further afield and have knock-on effects for several days after Heathrow reopens.
How to claim compensation or rebook
Usually, passengers are entitled to compensation when a delay or cancellation is the fault of the airline. In this case, the issue is out of the airlines’ control. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, if a delay is caused by an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, customers aren’t entitled to compensation.
Still, airlines are under obligation to look after you and provide meals and accommodation when necessary. It is also their duty to organise putting you on an alternative flight at no extra cost or offer a refund.
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