Britain defended its decision to close Heathrow Airport On Friday (21.03.2025), as the 18 -hour interruption that cost millions of pounds in airlines and left thousands of passengers trapped.
Heathrow Airport, one of the largest in the world, remained closed throughout Friday. Hundreds of flights were canceled or changed destination.
As the questions remain on how only one fire closed Europe’s busiest airport and if it was really necessary to close all Heathros terminals, a Heathros Airport spokesman was forced to defend the closure Following statements by National Grid Managing Director in the Financial Times, who said that the electric transmission network was able to provide electricity to the airport throughout the crisis.
Heathrow Airport, which interrupted its operation on Friday due to power failure after a fire in an electric substation, could continue to be powered by electricity and remain in operation, John Pettigrew, General Manager of the National Manager of the Managing Company of the Electric Network, told FT. However he admits that the incident is “Unique”.
However, he criticizes the decision to stop the airport by saying that the facilities have never lost their power supply.
“There was no lack of capacity from the substations,” he says, explaining that two other substations were available. “Each substation could grant a sufficient amount of electricity to Heathrow.”
What does the airport answer
John Pettigrew ‘confirms that this is about unprecedented event And that it would not be possible for Heathrow to continue operating without interruption, “a spokesman for the international airport replied.
“Hundreds of critical systems across the airport had to be safely turned off and then restart safely and systematically,” Heathrow spokesman said.
“Given the size and functional complexity of Heathrow, reopening in full security conditions after such a disorder was a major challenge,” the airport spokesman also said that “lessons can be drawn and this will be done”.
Heathros General Manager Thomas Waldbai said on Friday that the interruption of the operation was not due to the lack of electricity, but at the time required to ensure the replacement of the substation suffered from the fire by the two.
Research is conducted to clarify the causes of the event. It was assigned to the Scotland Yard’s anti -terrorist service of its consequences “in a critical national infrastructure”.
However, London police and the Fire Department announced on Friday that they do not consider the fire suspicious.
Information from CNN