In a multi-agency call convened by the government on the ongoing Heathrow closure, Downing Street could not say with confidence that the airport will reopen at midnight – though power has reportedly been restored to Terminal 4.
The West London airport has been shut for the whole of Friday following a nearby electrical fire at a substation.
According to the National Grid, an “interim solution” has been put in place to resupply Heathrow.
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister has said that “there are questions to answer” over how the fire was able to bring Europe’s largest airport to a grinding halt.
Sir Keir Starmer said in a post on X: “I’m receiving regular updates and I’m in close contact with partners on the ground.
“Thanks to our emergency workers for keeping people safe.”
Even if power is already restored, it is not yet clear when the two-lane airport will be ready to reopen.
The blaze is ongoing, and the BBC reports that smoke is still rising from the substation site.
The closest parallel to this incident was in December 2010, when heavy snowfall caused the airport to close for a day – resulting in more than 4,000 flights being cancelled over the five days that followed.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, said: “Electricity suppliers are working hard to restore power, but Heathrow Airport have said they will be closed all day and has warned of significant disruption over the coming days.”
“Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport under any circumstances and I urge Londoners to follow the advice of emergency services and their travel providers.
Sree Kochugovindan, a senior research economist at the investment firm Aberdeen, said: “The full extent of the impact of the closure will depend on how quickly the airport reopens and whether this is a one-off incident.”
“Over the longer term, this is a wake-up call for the importance of reinforcing and modernising critical infrastructure.”
The energy watchdog Ofgem has commissioned a review into the incident.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “Once power is restored, we will commission a review to understand the cause of this incident and what lessons can be learnt.”