Warnings Overlooked

Heathrow Airport's management was alerted to potential electrical substation vulnerabilities just days before a catastrophic power failure forced a full-day airport closure. This revelation came to light during a parliamentary committee hearing, highlighting a missed opportunity to avert the crisis.

Testimony Highlights

Nigel Wicking, chief executive of the Heathrow Airline Operators' Committee, disclosed to MPs that he had explicitly warned about the substations' resilience issues on March 15. This warning followed an incident where runway lighting was compromised due to cable and wiring failures, underscoring the urgency of the matter.

The Aftermath

The subsequent substation fire in western London not only disrupted power to Europe's busiest airport for 24 hours but also caused significant travel disruptions, affecting around 300,000 passengers. The event has raised serious questions about infrastructure preparedness and response strategies at critical transportation hubs.