The most severe single disruption to UK aviation in 2025 was triggered by the temporary closure of London Heathrow Airport, new data has revealed. The major transport hub was forced to shut down completely on 21 March 2025 following an unexpected and catastrophic power failure.
The Day the Hub Went Dark
The crisis began when Heathrow's main electrical substation, located in the west London suburb of Hayes less than two miles from the airport, exploded and caught fire. This caused an immediate and widespread power outage across the airport's operations. On that day alone, approximately 220,000 people were scheduled to travel through Heathrow, with the shutdown leading to more than 1,000 flights being delayed, cancelled, or diverted to other airports.
Research from the air passenger rights organisation AirHelp paints a stark picture of the scale of the chaos. Their analysis found that a staggering 99 per cent of travellers passing through the airport that day experienced disruption to their journeys. Furthermore, 98 per cent of all flights were cancelled entirely, grounding the vast majority of the airport's schedule and creating a domino effect of delays across global networks.
Passenger Rights and Compensation Claims
For the thousands of passengers caught up in the disruption, understanding their rights is crucial. Consumer champion Which? outlines that passengers facing delays of two hours or more are entitled to assistance, which can include free meals, refreshments, and hotel accommodation with transfers if necessary.
More significantly, many may be eligible for financial compensation. Passengers could be entitled to up to £520 depending on the distance of their flight and the length of the delay, provided the disruption was within the airline's control and not due to 'extraordinary circumstances' like the extreme weather or strikes unrelated to the carrier.
The compensation structure is tiered based on flight distance:
- Short-haul (up to 932 miles): Delays of over three hours can entitle passengers to £220.
- Medium-haul (932-2,175 miles): Delays of over three hours can lead to compensation of £350.
- Long-haul (over 2,175 miles): Delays of over four hours can mean a payout of £520.
Claims for such compensation are valid for up to six years after the scheduled flight date. Passengers are advised to contact their airline directly to begin the claims process.
A Challenging Year for UK Air Travel
The Heathrow incident was the most extreme single event in what proved to be a difficult year for aviation across the country. Overall in 2025, a total of 940,000 flights and 36 million passengers were affected by delays or cancellations. This means roughly 26 per cent of all UK air travellers faced issues with their journeys last year.
Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO of AirHelp, commented: '2025 was a challenging year for UK air travel, with millions of passengers experiencing delays or cancellations. The Heathrow closure in March was an extreme example, but our research shows disruption was widespread. Many passengers affected may not realise they are entitled to compensation.'
The report also highlighted ongoing performance issues at other UK airports. Separate analysis by AirAdvisor, using Civil Aviation Authority data, named Manchester Airport as the worst major UK airport for delays in the first half of the year, with only 71.5 per cent of flights departing on time, compared to a national average of 77 per cent.
The Daily Mail approached Heathrow Airport for comment on the AirHelp findings.
