Air India announced on Friday that its operations to and from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) have been disrupted due to a major power outage at the airport.
As a result, one of its flights had to return to Mumbai, another was diverted to Frankfurt, and several other flights were canceled. The disruption follows the temporary suspension of operations at Heathrow, which is expected to last until 23:59 local time on March 21.
Heathrow, one of the busiest airports in the world, is a key hub for flights between India and the United Kingdom. In addition to Air India, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate daily direct flights between multiple Indian cities and London Heathrow.
The power outage has significantly impacted airline schedules, leading to widespread cancellations and disruptions.
Air India confirmed in a statement that its flights to and from Heathrow have been affected. The airline specified that its Mumbai-bound AI129 had to return to Mumbai, while AI161 from Delhi was diverted to Frankfurt.
Additionally, all remaining Air India flights to and from Heathrow, including AI111 scheduled for the morning of March 21, were canceled. However, the airline clarified that its operations to London Gatwick Airport remain unaffected.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, Air India had six scheduled flights to Heathrow on March 21, with a total seating capacity of 1,843 passengers. Other airlines operating between India and Heathrow have also been affected.
Also Read: 'No more EU money left for Ukraine': Hungary PM Viktor Orban
British Airways, which runs eight daily flights between India and Heathrow—including three from Mumbai and two from Delhi—has warned passengers of significant disruptions. Virgin Atlantic, which operates five daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, is also facing operational challenges.
The global impact of the power outage is expected to be severe. Cirium estimated that more than 145,000 passengers could be affected by the disruptions.
The firm stated that there were 669 scheduled departures from Heathrow on March 21, and while not all flights would have been full, a substantial number of travelers are facing uncertainty.
British Airways issued an advisory asking customers scheduled to depart from Heathrow on Friday to avoid traveling to the airport until further notice.
The airline acknowledged the severe impact of the outage on its operations and passengers, stating that efforts were underway to provide updates on alternative travel arrangements for the next 24 hours and beyond.
With Heathrow being a major global transit hub, the power outage has created widespread logistical challenges, affecting airlines, passengers, and airport authorities. The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected as airlines work to manage cancellations and rebook affected travelers.
Also Read: Russia, Ukraine trade attacks after Putin-Trump call
Follow us
