Heathrow Power Outage Sparks Chaos and Criticism

Heathrow Airport resumed full operations after a power outage disrupted flights, causing delays and cancellations. British Airways predicted an ongoing impact, while the UK energy ministry launched an investigation. The disruption resembled the 2010 volcanic ash cloud incident, with widespread criticism over infrastructure resilience.

London's Heathrow Airport resumed full operations on Saturday after an extensive power outage caused by a fire disrupted Europe's busiest air hub. Airlines, including British Airways, warned of ongoing delays and cancellations as they sought to reschedule flights and reroute affected passengers.

A power failure at a nearby electrical substation had forced the diversion of many flights, echoing disruptions not seen since the 2010 Icelandic volcanic ash cloud crisis. The UK energy ministry has ordered an urgent investigation into the outage, raising concerns about the resilience of the country's infrastructure.

While most scheduled flights were back on track by Saturday afternoon, widespread criticism emerged. Industry figures called the incident a planning failure, and questions remain about the adequacy of Heathrow's backup systems. Meanwhile, passengers continue to experience uncertainty amid the travel chaos.

(With inputs from agencies.)