Heathrow Airport has been shut all day today after a devastating electrical fire – causing chaos for the around 220,000 who were due to travel through the UK’s busiest airport today.
It was forced to completely close after its main electrical substation exploded and set alight less than two miles away in the west London suburb of Hayes.
At least 1,357 flights have been cancelled, diverted or delayed and people are being advised not to make journeys to the airport as it remains closed until 11.59pm today.
A spokesperson for Gatwick Airport, the closest London airport to Heathrow, told MailOnline: ‘We are aware of the situation at Heathrow Airport today and we are supporting by accepting diverted flights as required.
‘Flights are operating from London Gatwick as normal today.’
Online flight tracking service FlightRadar24 said the closure would affect all of the scheduled 679 arrivals at and the 678 planned departures from Heathrow today.
Some planes already on their way to London managed to land at other UK airports.
British Airways, American Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines, Air Canada and Delta have suffered the largest number of cancellations and diversions.
Heathrow Airport has been shut all day today after a devastating electrical fire – causing chaos for the around 220,000 who were due to travel through the UK’s busiest airport today. Pictured: Stranded passengers at Heathrow Terminal 5 in London
It was forced to close after its main electrical substation exploded and set alight (pictured) less than two miles away in the west London suburb of Hayes
At least 1,357 flights have been cancelled, diverted or delayed and people are being advised not to make journeys to the airport. Pictured: An upset couple at Heathrow Terminal 5 this morning
Dozens of flights have been diverted to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Lyon and other European cities, stranding tens of thousands of people abroad. Some planes were even forced to turn back and set down in New York, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Delhi, where Air India has now cancelled all its flights to London.
A Heathrow Airport spokesperson said: ‘Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage.
‘To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport.’
The airport, which sees a plane land or take off every 45 seconds, announced its closure at 2am today and ordered passengers not to come to its terminals.
The fire broke out at around 11.30pm on Thursday and around 70 firefighters worked throughout the night to bring it under control. Police have launched a major incident as investigators look into the cause of the fire.
Ryanair has launched eight rescue flights for passengers affected by the airport closure, running two from Dublin to Stansted and two more from Stansted to Dublin today – with the same four extra flights also added for tomorrow.
These will be available to purchase on the Ryanair website from 9.30am today.
British Airways said: ‘This will clearly have a significant impact on our operation and our customers and we’re working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond.’
Chaos at Manchester Airport as the effects of the closure of Heathrow ripple across the country
Stranded passengers at Edinburgh Airport await news of what will happen to their travel plans
Passengers on a flight from Perth, Australia, queue up at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport after having their 17-hour flight diverted from Heathrow. They will now board coaches from Paris, France, to London
Travellers wait for information on flights destined for Heathrow outside the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India
People at Gatwick Airport nap amid disruption to their journeys caused by massive Heathrow substation fire
Crowds gather at Gatwick as disruption at Heathrow causes travel chaos across the rest of the country
A passenger sleeps at Gatwick, waiting for news of what will happen after fire at Heathrow substation causes travel chaos across the country
A spokesperson for nearby London Stansted Airport said: ‘London Stansted is currently operating as normal, we have capacity for a small number of diverts but as yet we haven’t received any requests.’
Birmingham Airport is also assisted with taking flights diverted from the closed Heathrow Airport.
A spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘There will be no delays to Birmingham Airport’s own customers, due to any diverted Heathrow aircraft into BHX.
‘Airports regularly take diverts as part of normal operations, and flights inbound to London Heathrow will use multiple airports around the UK, and Ireland, or alternatively may return to their departure airport.
‘We will assist with landing any diverted aircraft during the Heathrow closure today and work with those LHR airlines to repatriate their customers upon arrival into Birmingham.’
MailOnline understands Manchester Airport accepted five diverted flights this morning but that the airport is not expecting to take many more diversions today.
Leeds Bradford Airport told MailOnline the incident at Heathrow is having ‘no impact’ on its operations – and Liverpool John Lennon Airport said to MailOnline that it has not been asked to accept diverts so far.
United Airlines has said it is ‘working with’ customers to offer alternative travel options after cancelling all its flights to Heathrow for the whole of today. Aer Lingus has also stopped all journeys to the London airport today ‘until further notice’.
An information sign posted at the Underground station at Heathrow Airport today announcing the all-day closure of the airport
Chaos unfolds at Manchester Airport as the effects of the closure of Heathrow spread across the country
Virgin Atlantic has cancelled all its flights to and from Heathrow until midday today and is keeping the rest of today’s schedule ‘under review’.
Qantas saw flights from Singapore and Perth diverted to Paris this morning, with buses arranged to take customers on to London.
Scandinavian Airlines System has said all its 12 round trips scheduled for today so far were cancelled, adding: ‘We will keep affected passengers informed.’
A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines said four flights from Singapore to London and four flights back to Singapore from London were cancelled.
Here are the flights that were scheduled to take off from Heathrow this morning: