According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, at least 120 inbound flights to Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, were being diverted to other airports.
With travellers trying to book alternate flights at short notice, other airports in London and the UK are predicted to be crowded today.
Some affected planes will have returned to the airport from where they had left. Others, however, had already crossed the Atlantic and were being rerouted to European airports.
According to data from Flightradar24, Gatwick, Frankfurt, and Shannon have all taken six flights each, while Amsterdam has taken the most diversions with seven.
Birmingham Airport has announced that customers will not experience any delays as a result of Heathrow Airport planes being diverted. While Gatwick said it is operating normally today.
Top 10 airlines by capacity that were set to arrive at Heathrow airport on Friday:
Lufthansa – 21 flights, 3,780 seats
American Airlines – 20 flights, 5,744 seats
Aer Lingus – 19 flights, 3,484 seats
United Airlines – 17 flights, 3,673 seats
SAS – 14 flights, 2,520 seat
Swiss – 12 flights, 2,000 seats
Eurowings – 13 flights, 1,906 seats
Delta Air Lines – 11 flights, 2,687 seats
67 airlines – 143 flights, 9,790 seats
Total – 669 flights, 145,836 seats
What have airlines said about the closures?
British Airways: “Due to a power outage in the London Heathrow area, London Heathrow Airport is currently closed. As a result, customers due to travel from Heathrow on Friday are advised not to travel to the airport until further notice. This will clearly have a significant impact on our operation and our customers and we’re working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond.”
Ryanair: “Ryanair launches 8 rescue flights for passengers affected by Heathrow closure. Friday: 2 x Dublin to Stansted / 2 x Stansted to Dublin Saturday: 2 x Dublin to Stansted / 2 x Stansted to Dublin. Available from 9.30AM at Ryanair.com.”
United Airlines: “Seven United flights returned to their origin or to other airports, and Friday flights to London Heathrow are being cancelled. We are working with our customers to offer alternative travel options.”
Air India: “London Heathrow-bound AI129 from Mumbai is returning to Mumbai; AI161 from Delhi is diverting to Frankfurt. All our remaining flights to and from London Heathrow, including AI111 of this morning, have been cancelled for 21 March.”
Aer Lingus: “Cancelling all flights to and from London Heathrow Airport until further notice today following the closure of the airport by the authorities.”
Virgin Atlantic: “This has had a significant impact on our flying programme both into and out of Heathrow and all Virgin Atlantic arriving and departing flights are cancelled until midday on 21 March, with the rest of today’s schedule currently under review.”
Qantas: “Our Singapore-London and Perth-London services were diverted to Paris today, with buses arranged to take customers on to London.”