Heathrow closure: What it means for UK air cargo

A massive power outage triggered by a fire at a nearby electrical substation forced the closure of London Heathrow Airport on Friday, March 21st, 2025, causing widespread disruption not just for passengers—but significantly impacting airfreight operations across the UK and beyond.

READ: London’s Heathrow Airport announces complete shutdown due to power outage

Heathrow, one of Europe’s busiest cargo hubs, handles a significant proportion of the UK’s import and export airfreight, with most cargo typically transported in the bellyholds of passenger aircraft. The closure, which is expected to last until at least midnight, has led to hundreds of flight cancellations and delayed freight movements, prompting logistics companies and industry stakeholders to sound the alarm.

A Heathrow spokesperson confirmed:

“Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage across the airport due to a large fire at a nearby electrical substation. Whilst fire crews are responding to the incident, we do not have clarity on when power may be reliably restored. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we made the decision to close Heathrow until 23h59 on 21 March 2025.”

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… pic.twitter.com/7SWNJP8ojd

— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 21, 2025

The airport also warned of “significant disruption over the coming days,” urging all travellers and cargo stakeholders not to approach the airport until further notice.