Heathrow bosses were warned of substation power failure risk days before electrical fire shut airport
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Heathrow bosses taken to task over huge power failure that ruined holidays
- Heathrow Airport experienced a 24-hour closure due to an electrical fire in a substation, impacting 250,000 passengers and costing airlines an estimated £100m.
- Heathrow's CEO, Thomas Woldbye, defended the closure as a necessary safety precaution, stating the command and control system functioned correctly.
- Nigel Wicking, head of the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee, revealed he had warned Heathrow about substation vulnerability days prior, following incidents of cable theft.
- Wicking criticized Heathrow's communication with airlines and passengers, suggesting a need for improved customer awareness during disruptions.
- While Wicking called for increased resilience measures, he opposed airlines funding them, arguing they already pay sufficient fees to Heathrow. Woldbye countered that creating a fully resilient electrical system would cost over £1bn.