London’s Heathrow Airport shuts down for a day, disrupting flights to and from Ghana

Flights between London Heathrow Airport and Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport (KIA) have been disrupted following a fire outbreak at an electrical substation supplying Heathrow.

The incident has caused a major power outage, forcing the airport—one of the busiest in the world—to suspend operations until 23:59 GMT (11:59 PM) on March 21. Thousands of passengers, including those traveling to and from Ghana, have been affected.

A statement from Heathrow confirmed the closure, urging passengers to avoid the airport and contact their airlines for further information.

“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,” the statement read.

According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, Heathrow had 1,357 scheduled flights today—679 arrivals and 678 departures. Among these, at least two direct flights between Heathrow and Kotoka International Airport have been affected. British Airways, which operates this route, has had to cancel or reschedule flights, disrupting travel plans for many Ghanaians, including business travelers, students, and tourists.

With Heathrow serving as a key transit hub, Ghanaian travelers connecting through London to other destinations are facing significant delays.

Those scheduled to fly to the UK today may experience cancellations or be rerouted through alternative airports such as Charles de Gaulle in Paris or Amsterdam Schiphol.

Beyond passenger travel, the disruption could impact business and cargo shipments between Ghana and the UK, potentially affecting trade and logistics.

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