Heathrow Airport reopened one of its runways late Friday after a grass fire prompted its temporary closure, causing significant flight disruptions.
The fire, which broke out earlier in the evening, led to delays and suspensions of several flights as travelers faced travel chaos. Four fire engines were dispatched to extinguish the flames.
During the closure, the airport operated on a single runway. A spokesperson stated that runway 27L was expected to reopen around 18:45 GMT, with departures planned from 27L and arrivals on 27R. "We are now expecting to get runway 27L back at 18:45hrs. We'll be departing on the southern runway 27L and arriving on runway 27R," the spokesperson said on X.
Photographs shared from inside the terminal showed plumes of smoke rising above the tarmac. Passengers reported being stuck on planes, with one individual commenting that "Pretty much all flights delayed still, some more than others."