What is happening at Heathrow Airport?

London Heathrow Airport has come to a complete standstill after a large fire ignited in the nearby electricity substation, causing a power outage. Although the details of how the fire happened are unclear, the closure is expected to disrupt over 1,350 flights over the next few days. Although the fire has since been extinguished, airport officials have urged passengers not to come as power hasn’t been fully restored to terminals 2 and 4.

Where is Heathrow Airport? 

Heathrow Airport, located 14 miles west of Central London, is the largest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom and one of the world’s major aviation hubs. With five terminals, it handles over 80 million passengers annually, providing flights to more than 180 destinations across the globe.

When will Heathrow open again? 

As the situation develops, flights due to land at Heathrow are being diverted elsewhere or cancelled altogether, leaving passengers stranded in airports across the globe. In response to this disruption, Eurostar have added four additional train services today between Paris and London for those affected by the closure of Heathrow Airport. 

As of now, it remains uncertain when Heathrow Airport will open its doors again. Some reports claim that flights may resume as normal on Saturday. But all hope is not lost for anyone hoping to cross the channel this weekend. There are many ferry routes from England to France, as well as the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. Here are some travel alternatives if you have been affected:

Closest Ferry Ports to London 

Dover (Closest major port to London - 80 miles / 129 km) 

• Dover to Calais, France (Operated by P&O Ferries & DFDS) - Approx. 1.5 hours 
• Dover to Dunkirk, France (Operated by DFDS) - Approx. 2 hours 

Folkestone (80 miles / 129 km from London - via Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, not a ferry but a popular option) 

• Folkestone to Calais, France (Via Channel Tunnel) - Approx. 35 minutes 

Newhaven (65 miles / 104 km from London) 

• Newhaven to Dieppe, France (Operated by DFDS) - Approx. 4 hours 

Portsmouth (73 miles / 117 km from London) 

• Portsmouth to Caen, France (Operated by Brittany Ferries) - Approx. 5.5 hours (ferry) or 3.5 hours (fast ferry) 
• Portsmouth to St. Malo, France (Operated by Brittany Ferries) - Approx. 8 to 10 hours 
• Portsmouth to Cherbourg, France (Operated by Brittany Ferries) - Approx. 3 hours (fast ferry) or 7 hours (standard ferry) 

Plymouth (215 miles / 346 km from London) 

• Plymouth to Roscoff, France (Operated by Brittany Ferries) - Approx. 6 hours 
• Plymouth to Santander, Spain (Operated by Brittany Ferries) - Approx. 20 to 24 hours 

Harwich (85 miles / 137 km from London) 

• Harwich to Hook of Holland, Netherlands (Operated by Stena Line) - Approx. 6.5 to 7 hours 

These routes offer convenient options for travelling from London to France, Spain, and the Netherlands by sea. Despite the unexpected closure of Heathrow Airport, travellers still have multiple alternatives to continue their journeys, whether by ferry or the Eurotunnel. Please check the latest schedules and availability to find which route is best for your travel plans.