Gatwick Airport has issued an urgent update following this morning’s all day closure of Heathrow Airport due to a significant power outage.
Britain’s second largest airport took to social media to reassure travellers about their own operations as the UK braces for days of travel chaos.
“We are aware of the situation at Heathrow Airport today and are supporting where required,” Gatwick Airport announced.
“Flights from London Gatwick are operating as normal.”
The airport shutdown will have implications across the UK
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The statement comes as Heathrow faces major disruption throughout Friday.
Heathrow Airport, the UK’s busiest, will remain closed throughout Friday due to the power outage.
The closure follows a fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, that supplies the airport.
Heathrow has warned of “significant disruption” over the coming days.
Passengers have been told not to travel to the airport “under any circumstances” until it reopens.
The power outage has also left thousands of homes without electricity in the surrounding area.
Around 150 people have been evacuated from properties near the substation.
The scale of disruption is expected to be substantial
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The scale of disruption is expected to be substantial, with at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow affected on Friday, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
Around 120 aircraft were already in the air when the closure was announced.
As the situation continues, Heathrow officials have emphasised that passengers should not attempt to travel to the airport.
The closure is likely to have knock-on effects across the UK’s air travel network as airlines scramble to reroute passengers and aircraft.
