‘Heathrow closure a major wake-up call’

Richard Slater, of Henbury Travel, slammed Heathrow Airport’s failures as a power outage forced the closure of the airport on Friday.

The managing director of the Macclesfield-based travel agency told Travel Weekly: “As someone who has worked in the travel industry for decades, I find it astonishing that a major airport like Heathrow has placed all its reliance on a single power substation. 

“The disruption we’re seeing today is yet another example of why the government’s focus on expanding Heathrow with a third runway is completely misguided.

“Instead of funnelling more capacity into an already overstretched airport, we should be looking at better ways to utilise underused regional airports like Manchester, Birmingham, and Newcastle.”

He added:  “Airlines that operate multiple daily flights from Heathrow should be encouraged – or even required – to spread operations more evenly across the UK. This would not only reduce congestion in London but also provide better access for travellers outside the capital.

“This outage is a major wake-up call for airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. With thousands of passengers now forced to seek alternative routes, Heathrow’s dominance could be seriously challenged.

“Perhaps it’s time to ask a bigger question: Should British Airways, which has become effectively ‘London Airways,’ be restructured to operate more equitably across the UK? A more regionally balanced approach would strengthen the entire aviation network and reduce the pressure on Heathrow.

“For now, passengers will be the ones suffering the most from today’s chaos, but in the long run, this could be the catalyst for long-overdue change in UK aviation.”

Business Travel Association chief executive Clive Wratten said: “Today’s fire at London Heathrow is a devastating event and we send our best wishes to all those involved in the recovery efforts.  

“This has, yet again, exposed the vital role air travel plays in our economy, and when Heathrow is down, the whole economy suffers.

“Over 20,000 people travelling for work today will be impacted. This will be the same for every day Heathrow is closed.

“Our members will be working around the clock to help those passengers and will play a significant part of aiding the recovery process.

“Travel Management Companies, who the BTA represents, help support airlines in these crisis moments, playing a vital role in getting the working public where they need to be.”