Source link : https://london-news.net/power-outage-panic-heathrow-chief-executive-caught-unaware-during-airport-shutdown/
Attempts to inform Heathrow Airport’s absent chief executive about the airport’s closure due to a power failure were unsuccessful as his bedside phone was silenced, a recent investigation has revealed.
While Thomas Woldbye was asleep, key Heathrow personnel made the decision to halt operations following a fire at a nearby electrical substation.
The airport, located in west London, did not manage any flights until around 18:00 GMT on March 21 due to the incident, which began late the previous evening.
The shutdown, which impacted 270,000 passengers, was attributed to “an unprecedented set of circumstances,” according to Heathrow’s chairman, Lord Deighton, who noted that the airport’s infrastructure would be improved for future challenges.
Heathrow initiated the inquiry into the events, led by independent board member and former transport secretary Ruth Kelly.
The findings of the Kelly Review indicated that Mr. Woldbye “was not involved” when Chief Operating Officer Javier Echave made the decision shortly after 01:15 on March 21 to cease all operations until 23:59.
F24 alarm notifications were sent to Mr. Woldbye’s mobile at 00:21 and 01:52 to trigger emergency protocols, and Mr. Echave attempted to reach him multiple times.
According to the report, Mr. Woldbye became aware of the situation around 06:45 on March 21, following a briefing from Mr. Echave.
He expressed “deep regret for being unreachable during the night of the incident,” as noted in the…
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Publish date : 2025-05-28 17:03:00
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