Overview of the Incident

A significant power outage at Heathrow Airport, London’s primary international airport, has led to the cancellation or diversion of at least 16 flights between Singapore and London. This unforeseen closure, which began around 11 AM Singapore time on March 21 and is expected to last until midnight (8 AM March 22 Singapore time), has created a ripple effect across various airlines.

Flight Operations Affected

Despite the disruptions, British Airways and Qantas managed to proceed with three flights from Singapore to Heathrow, namely BA16, QF1, and BA12, as originally scheduled. In contrast, Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced the cancellation of four flights from Heathrow on March 21 and two more on March 22, while two flights that left Singapore on March 20 and 21 were diverted, one to Frankfurt, Germany, and the other to Paris, France.

Details of Flight Diversions

Notably, Flight SQ308, which took off from Singapore around 9:20 AM on March 21, had to return to Changi Airport after 3.5 hours into the flight. The pilot notified passengers that the diversion was due to a fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow—a serious incident affecting the airport's power supply. Passengers, already aware of the situation through news alerts, expressed their frustration over the disruption of travel plans.

Passenger Experiences and Reactions

Mr. Sylvester Fedor, a Singaporean whose trip was thwarted, described the emotional toll of canceling his plans to visit friends in London and a subsequent holiday in Italy. Although SIA offered hotel accommodation for international passengers, Singaporeans were advised to return home and wait for a service recovery email.

Conversely, Mrs. Leigh Haven and her husband from Australia shared their appreciation for SIA's efforts, which included providing hotel vouchers and taxi rides. Some passengers managed to secure alternate flights, including one Singaporean traveler who was rebooked to depart for Gatwick Airport via Istanbul, albeit with a delay.

Impact on Travel Agencies and Airlines

Travel agencies such as Lightfoot Travel reported only minimal disruptions for their clients, except for a few cancellations. Simon Chaffey, an operations director caught on a diverted flight to Frankfurt, was fortunate to arrange onward travel through Europe to reach London.

SIA has confirmed that two of its flights were redirected to airports in neighboring countries—SQ322 landed in Frankfurt, while SQ306 diverted to Paris. The airline is offering affected customers necessary support, including transportation to London for those whose flights were diverted.

Ongoing Disruptions and Future Outlook

Qantas also faced challenges with their flights; specifically, a flight from Singapore was redirected to Paris and required passengers to take a bus for a lengthy journey to London. British Airways declared a complete stoppage of short-haul flights to and from Heathrow on the same day, while continuing to assess long-haul operations.

Flight tracking services indicate that more than 120 flights are likely to have diverted routes, with incidents reported throughout the day affecting various airlines. Larger ramifications could potentially escalate as Heathrow, the world’s fifth-busiest international airport as of 2025, braces for ongoing disruptions.

Authorities' Response and Passenger Guidance

Authorities at Heathrow confirmed that the fire causing the power outage is being attended to, but the timeline for restoring normal operations remains uncertain. Passengers are advised to regularly check with airlines regarding flight updates, while rumblings of chaos in the following days loom over travelers already impacted by the incident.

For those looking to travel in or out of London, staying updated on the latest developments might just save a holiday, or in some cases, a job.