Heathrow Defends Handling of Blackout, Saying Shutdown Unavoidable

Heathrow Defends Handling of Unprecedented Shutdown

London’s Heathrow Airport has defended its handling of the unprecedented shutdown caused by a fire at a nearby power station that knocked out the main substation supplying the hub. The airport’s response comes after comments from National Grid’s CEO, John Pettigrew, suggesting that there were enough alternative power supplies to keep the airport running.

Airport’s Statement

"It would not have been possible for Heathrow to operate uninterrupted," the airport said in an emailed statement. "Given Heathrow’s size and operational complexity, safely restarting operations after a disruption of this magnitude was a significant challenge."

Criticism and Response

The shutdown has led to criticism of the airport for a lack of redundancy and the actions of its CEO, Thomas Woldbye. Woldbye went home to sleep and left the decision to shut down flights to a deputy, according to The Times. British Airways chief Sean Doyle worked through the night into Friday to reroute flights headed to the airline’s biggest hub.

Airport’s Response to National Grid’s Claims

Heathrow has responded to comments from National Grid’s CEO, John Pettigrew, who told the Financial Times that there were enough alternative power supplies to keep the airport running. The airport has disputed this claim, stating that restarting operations after a disruption of this magnitude was a significant challenge.

Investigation and Recovery

The government has announced an independent investigation into the fire, which Heathrow supports and believes will help identify lessons to be learned. The airport was able to restart a few flights late on Friday, but services remained disrupted over the weekend. By Sunday, the airport was operating at close to normal levels.

FAQs

Q: Why did Heathrow shut down operations?
A: Heathrow shut down operations due to a fire at a nearby power station that knocked out the main substation supplying the hub.

Q: Were there alternative power supplies available?
A: According to Heathrow, there were not enough alternative power supplies to keep the airport running uninterrupted.

Q: How did the airport respond to the crisis?
A: The airport was able to restart a few flights late on Friday, but services remained disrupted over the weekend. By Sunday, the airport was operating at close to normal levels.

Q: Is an investigation underway?
A: Yes, the government has announced an independent investigation into the fire, which Heathrow supports and believes will help identify lessons to be learned.