How did one fire paralyse Europe's busiest airport? episode artwork

EPISODE · Mar 25, 2025 · 20 MIN

How did one fire paralyse Europe's busiest airport?

from The Global Story · host BBC World Service

London Heathrow saw all its flights cancelled on Friday after a fire at a local power supply station. The news led to rampant speculation online – rumours of foreign interference, accusations against executives, and angry questions about who was to blame. So why wasn’t there a contingency plan to keep such an essential transport hub running?Caitríona Perry is joined by Theo Leggett, the BBC’s international business correspondent, to discuss Heathrow’s temporary closure and what it says about the vulnerabilities of our major infrastructure.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineer: Stephen BaileyAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

London Heathrow saw all its flights cancelled on Friday after a fire at a local power supply station. The news led to rampant speculation online – rumours of foreign interference, accusations against executives, and angry questions about who was to blame. So why wasn’t there a contingency plan to keep such an essential transport hub running?Caitríona Perry is joined by Theo Leggett, the BBC’s international business correspondent, to discuss Heathrow’s temporary closure and what it says about the vulnerabilities of our major infrastructure.Producers: Laurie Kalus and Alice Aylett RobertsSound engineer: Stephen BaileyAssistant editors: Richard Fenton-Smith and Sergi Forcada FreixasSenior news editor: China Collins

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How did one fire paralyse Europe's busiest airport?

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This episode was published on March 25, 2025.

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London Heathrow saw all its flights cancelled on Friday after a fire at a local power supply station. The news led to rampant speculation online – rumours of foreign interference, accusations against executives, and angry questions about who was to...

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