Airlines issue travel waivers for London Heathrow Airport closure March 2025 due to a widespread electrical power outage that occurred earlier today, Friday, March 21, 2025. Operations are slowly resuming at the airport — but not before the damage was done to commercial aviation worldwide in the form of hundreds of delays and cancellations of flights.
Airlines Issue Travel Waivers For London Heathrow Airport Closure: March 2025 Travel Alert
According to the official Internet web site of London Heathrow Airport:
Heathrow closure – Friday 21 Mar 2025
Following an earlier power outage, Heathrow is now safely able to restart flights.
To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will running a reduced operation prioritising repatriation and relocation of aircraft.
Passengers should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.
The reasons why the electrical power outage occurred are still unconfirmed at the time this article was written — although a fire at an electrical substation near the airport is being blamed.
Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery. We’re now safely able to restart flights, prioritising repatriation and relocation of aircraft. Please do not travel to the airport unless your airline has advised you to do so. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/fhUGiXCh6B
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 21, 2025
A statement from Sean Doyle — who is the chief executive officer and chairman of British Airways — was issued via video pertaining to the disruption at London Heathrow Airport.
Not a problem, though: Ryanair comes to the rescue for stranded passengers.
‼️RYANAIR LAUNCHES 8 RESCUE FLIGHTS FOR PASSENGERS AFFECTED BY HEATHROW CLOSURE‼️
Friday:
2 x Dublin to Stansted
2 x Stansted to DublinSaturday:
2 x Dublin to Stansted
2 x Stansted to DublinAvailable from 9.30AM at https://t.co/cgLkPq5oJZ ✈️
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) March 21, 2025
Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations
If you are traveling to or from London Heathrow Airport over the next couple of days or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to this incident which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip — or even using a different mode of travel altogether — might be better options.
If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.
Here are nine airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of this incident:
- American Airlines has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Saturday, March 22, 2025; and Wednesday, March 26, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Sunday, March 23, 2025; and Wednesday, March 26, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- United Airlines has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Sunday, March 23, 2025; and Friday, March 28, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- JetBlue Airways has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Thursday, March 20, 2025 through Sunday, March 23, 2025; and Saturday, March 29, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Air Canada has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Sunday, March 23.
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025; and Monday, March 24, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- Virgin Atlantic Airways has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Saturday, March 22, 2025.
- Aeromexico has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Thursday, March 20, 2025 through Friday, March 21, 2025; and Wednesday, March 26, 2025 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
- British Airways has issued a travel alert for London Heathrow Airport for Friday, March 21, 2025 through Sunday, March 23, 2025.
Final Boarding Call
Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected and if they offer other airports as alternatives — and please: travel safely.
Photograph ©2017 by Brian Cohen.
