Heathrow warned by airlines about power supply days before shutdown

Heathrow Airport received warnings about its power supply before a fire. This fire caused the airport to shut down for over a day last month.

Nigel Wicking, head of the Heathrow Airline Operators' Committee, spoke to MPs on Wednesday. He expressed concerns to Heathrow on March 15 and again on March 19.

Wicking mentioned issues with "theft of wire and cable" affecting runway lights. These lights are crucial for passenger safety.

Heathrow's CEO, Thomas Woldbye, apologized to nearly 300,000 affected passengers. He offered his "deepest regrets," calling the situation "unprecedented." The airport closed after a fire at an electrical substation.

During the transport committee meeting, Wicking noted temporary failures of runway lights before the fire. This raised his concerns about airport resilience.

He emphasized that Heathrow is the world's most expensive airport for passenger charges. Therefore, it should provide top-notch service and infrastructure.

Wicking had discussions with Team Heathrow directors on March 15 and with other executives on March 19—just six days before the fire.

On the shutdown day, airlines diverted 120 aircraft. Wicking stated this was not a light decision.

When he joined a call with NATs at 5:30 AM, they had run out of space in the UK for diversions. Some aircraft were sent to Europe or even back to India mid-flight.

Mr. Woldbye explained that they realized they were losing power early on March 21. In their operations center, all systems began powering down without explanation.

Later, they received information from the fire department about the substation fire. Heathrow relies on three substations; losing one led to the shutdown.

Woldbye noted that a third of the airport lost power, especially affecting Terminal 2 and central systems. Safety became their top priority during this crisis.

They first checked if anyone was trapped in lifts or injured. Critical systems like runway lighting operated as expected during this time.

When asked why reopening took so long, Woldbye said it was essential for safety reasons. Rushing could have resulted in injuries among passengers.

He stated that making wrong decisions could lead to serious consequences and discussions about injuries instead of safety measures taken.

However, Mr. Wicking believed Terminal 5 could have reopened sooner. He understood from British Airways that operations were ready by mid-morning around 10 o'clock.