Heathrow Airport had enough power to avoid shutdown after fire, Britain's National Grid says

Core Viewpoint - Heathrow Airport faced significant operational challenges due to a fire at a nearby electrical substation, leading to its temporary closure and widespread flight disruptions, which are expected to incur substantial financial losses for airlines and the UK tourism sector [1][5][10]. Group 1: Incident Overview - A fire at a nearby electrical substation caused Heathrow Airport, Europe's busiest airport, to close temporarily [1]. - National Grid CEO John Pettigrew stated that despite the fire damaging one substation, two others were operational and could supply sufficient power to Heathrow [2]. - Heathrow's spokesperson argued that uninterrupted operations post-fire were impossible due to the complexity of safely rebooting critical systems [3][4]. Group 2: Financial Impact - The closure affected over 1,300 scheduled flights, with more than 120 flights diverted or returned to their departure cities [5]. - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) criticized Heathrow's reliance on a single power source, labeling it a planning failure [7][8]. - Economic estimates suggest the closure could result in £4.5 million ($5.82 million) in lost tourism revenue for the UK [10]. Group 3: Market Reaction - Following the incident, European travel and leisure stocks experienced a selloff, with British Airways owner IAG down approximately 1.9% and Lufthansa down 1.7% [6]. - By the following Monday, travel and leisure shares showed signs of recovery, with IAG up 0.9% and Lufthansa gaining 0.3% [6]. Group 4: Operational Challenges - Heathrow has initiated an internal investigation into the shutdown and its crisis management plan, while the UK government has also commissioned an investigation [5]. - Experts highlighted the significant costs associated with diverting flights, including additional fuel, air traffic control services, and airport fees, as well as potential compensation claims from affected passengers [12].