Hell at Heathrow: Airport meltdown hits 37 flights from India, thousands stranded

Heathrow International Airport

At least 37 daily flights from India to London’s Heathrow airport were disrupted on March 21, according to the online travel platform Yatra. Multiple direct flights connect Heathrow with cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

The disruption has left thousands of passengers stranded and scrambling for alternative travel options following the shutdown of Europe's busiest travel hub after a power outage, caused by a massive fire at an electric substation.

The affected flights include direct ones to Heathrow, as well as connecting flights via other international hubs, noted Bharat Malik, Senior VP, Air and Hotel Business, Yatra Online.

"The shutdown has significantly disrupted travel for Indian passengers, with numerous flight cancellations impacting both leisure travellers and those on business trips. Many travellers have had to reschedule or cancel their plans, leading to inconvenience and financial losses," Malik told Moneycontrol.

While the airport resumed some flights late on March 21, around 16 hours after the  fire and the power outage, airline and market experts expect the backlog of passengers to be cleared in a week.

Heathrow Chief Executive Thomas Woldbye, on March 21, called the outage and disruption  ‘unprecedented’ and said that the airport will be operating at ‘100 percent’ capacity by March 22.

A senior British Airways executive told Moneycontrol that airlines are likely to prioritise clearing the backlog of passengers travelling within Europe, while simultaneously making arrangements for passengers travelling on longer routes.

“Larger (widebody) aircraft will be deployed on European routes where the passenger backlog is excessive, to improve the customer experience at Heathrow. Simultaneously, new flights will be arranged for long-haul routes as well,” the executive said.

Similarly, an Air India executive told Moneycontrol that the airline is in touch with all its affected passengers and is making the necessary arrangements.

The airport was to handle 1,351 flights on March 21, flying about 2,91,000 passengers, but planes were diverted to other airports in Britain and across Europe, while many long-haul flights returned to their point of departure.

The shutdown has also disrupted student travel, said Karen Mulla, Co-Founder of the platform TravelK.

"Given Heathrow’s role as a major international hub, many passengers had to make last-minute changes to their itineraries," Malik noted. Those who are stuck are unsure of how to travel back as the sudden closure has not left them with many options.''

One Delhi-bound passenger told Moneycontrol, "I was supposed to board the 9:45 pm Virgin Atlantic flight from Vegas. The flight was to take us to Heathrow  and from there to Delhi. At around 8 pm, we heard a few of our co-passengers talking about Heathrow, so I checked what was happening. This was just six minutes after the news had broken that there was a fire at Heathrow and that it was being shut down.

``Then Virgin confirmed  the issue, said they were on it, and continued giving updates every hour until the flight was cancelled around 11:30 pm... It does not look likely that they will book us on flights for tomorrow (Friday) as those are full. I am trying to make my own arrangements through our  travel agent."

Mulla said while the exact numbers are still emerging, thousands of Indian travellers are impacted daily, considering that Heathrow is one of the busiest international gateways for flights from India.

“The disruption has had a widespread impact on international travel and tourism. Flight rescheduling, cancellations, and increased demand for alternative routes have put  pressure on airlines and passengers alike,” said Malik.

It is more  challenging for those with urgent travel plans, Mulla said. "The shutdown has led to several flight cancellations and diversions, affecting both outbound and inbound passengers," Mulla explained

Operations at Heathrow are suspended till 11:59 pm on March 21, with normal services expected to resume from March 22. However, passengers should expect possible delays and congestion as airlines work to clear the backlog of affected flights, Malik noted.

Mulla thinks it will take a few days to a week for airlines to accommodate all the stranded travellers, as this is peak travel season. Airlines are advising passengers to check with their carriers for rebooking options and alternative routes.

"For those traveling soon, we recommend staying updated on flight schedules, considering alternative routes, and coordinating with the airline for the latest updates," Mulla advised.

Malik said that Yatra’s team is working with airlines to rebook passengers and restore disrupted travel plans.

The financial fallout from the day-long disruption may be between $80 and $100 million, factoring costs related to accommodation, food, and transportation, as well as operational matters like rerouting, schedule disruptions and aircraft repositioning, said Ronan Murphy, Director, Alton Aviation Consultancy.