A fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport on the night of March 20, 2025, caused a power outage, leading to the airport’s closure for about 18 hours. The cause is still under investigation, but London officials have stated there is “no suggestion” of foul play.

The outage affected at least 1,350 flights, disrupting both passenger and cargo travel. The disruption is expected to last through today (3/21/25), with hopes of being on schedule by tomorrow.

Airlines diverted flights to other airports, with some turned around mid-air. 3PL providers stated they expect to resume normal operations soon with minimal delays. Initial concerns about major cargo disruptions have eased, but significant issues remain about cargo flow, especially for transatlantic routes.

Deringer is closely monitoring the situation and will keep our customers updated. If you have any questions, please reach out to your Deringer representative.

Due to the rapidly changing application and modifications of duty rates, please note that Deringer is not responsible for coordinating the timing of U.S. entry and imposed tariff rates.