Heathrow fire: How Qantas, British Airways, Singapore Airways and world’s biggest airlines are coping

The world’s biggest airlines are in scramble mode as they try to steer their fleets around the world and on time in the wake of the devastating power station fire at London’s Heathrow airport.

Heathrow is Europe’s busiest airport and the flow on effects have had significant repercussions for international travellers around the including Australia’s national carrier, Qantas.

As flights start to trickle back onto the runways at Heathrow, airlines worldwide are warning their passengers to be preparaed for delays, rerouting and potential cancellations of flights.

Qantas were forced to cancel flights and are still monitoring the situation as flights leave Australia bound for London, albeit with the strong chsance of major delays.

According to flight-tracker site Flightradar24, 679 flights were scheduled to land at Heathrow on Friday, while 678 flights were scheduled to take off from the airport.

“We resumed flights to Heathrow on Friday and thank our customers for their patience as we work to recover our schedule,” a Qantas spokesperson said.

Most major carriers have issued updates around theor services and here is a snapshot of what travellers can expect:

Qantas

The QF1 and QF9 services which departed Sydney and Perth on Friday (local times) are operating to London.

Friday’s QF10, London-Perth, has been cancelled and customers have been reaccommodated on other flights.

Friday’s QF2 London - Singapore will be delayed and will depart on Saturday 22 March.

Customers will be contacted directly if their flight is impacted.

British Airways

British Airways advised customers not to travel to the airport until further notice.

“This will clearly have a significant impact on our operation and our customers and we’re working as quickly as possible to update them on their travel options for the next 24 hours and beyond.”

“Where possible, we’re redirecting inbound flights already on their way to Heathrow to other UK airports.”

Virgin Atlantic

“All Virgin Atlantic arriving and departing flights are cancelled until 21:30 on 21 March, with the rest of today’s schedule currently under review.

“We kindly request that all customers do not travel to Heathrow or their scheduled departure airport, or contact our customer centre at this time and instead check their flight status at virginatlatic.com.”

Airborne flights operated by Virgin Atlantic are currently being diverted to other UK airports or returning to where they took off.

The airline said it would email affected customers with rebooking details, but said that due to availability, some customers may be booked onto flights on a different date or need to travel to or from a different airport.

Passengers whose flight was cancelled and no longer wished to travel would be entitled to a refund.

Lufthansa

Lufthansa told CNBC it had canceled all flights due to arrive at and depart from Heathrow on Friday.

“Passengers affected by the flight cancellations have been rebooked on other flights and informed about it,” a spokesperson said.

“This requires that contact details, such as email or phone number, are included in the booking.”

Singapore Airlines

A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines (SIA) said a number of its flights had been impacted by the disruption.

Flight SQ322, which left Singapore on Thursday, was diverted to Frankfurt, Germany, while flight SQ306, which took off from Singapore on Friday, was diverted to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. Another flight that took off on Friday returned to Singapore.

Flight SQ318 out of Singapore has been cancelled, the spokesperson added, as have many of the airline’s planned departures out of Heathrow.

“SIA will provide all necessary assistance to the affected passengers, including providing hotel accommodation, and reaccommodating them on alternative flights or land transport,” the spokesperson said.

“Other SIA flights between Singapore and London Heathrow may be affected.”

Emirates

Emirates said Friday that it had cancelled six flights into and out of Heathrow.

“Passengers connecting onto the flights to London Heathrow will not be accepted for travel until further notice at the point of origin,” the airline said in a statement.

“We’re monitoring the situation closely and will update our customers as the situation develops.”

Travelers due to fly in or out of Heathrow with Emirates can rebook to travel to other U.K. airports, or travel on a later date, the airline said.

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific said flights CX239 and CX253 from Hong Kong to London on March 21 have been cancelled.

“All Cathay flights from London to Hong Kong on 21 March have also been cancelled,” it said in a statement.

“We are assessing the situation and will keep our customers informed with the latest updates.”

United Airlines

United Airlines said seven of its flights had been diverted or returned to their originating airports due to the closure, adding that all flights to London Heathrow on Friday had been cancelled.

“We are working with our customers to offer alternative travel options,” the carrier said in a statement.

Swiss

Swiss said it was cancelling all flights from Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland to Heathrow on Friday, affecting almost 3000 customers.

“As a precautionary measure, all flights from Switzerland to and from London Heathrow have been closed for sale tomorrow, Saturday, March 22. SWISS deeply regrets the inconvenience this has caused passengers.

“We hope that the situation at London Heathrow will return to normal as soon as possible,” the airline said.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways said Friday that seven of its flights had been affected by the closure of Heathrow.

“Qatar Airways is working closely with LHR airport officials. Passengers impacted due to above will be taken care of by our customer care and airport teams.”

Aer Lingus

Irish carrier Aer Lingus said Friday that all of its flights into and out of London Heathrow were being cancelled until further notice.

It advised passengers due to take one of its flights to monitor their flight status and check information about the operation of their departure airport.

“If your booking was made through a third party (such as a travel agent, online agency, or another airline), please be aware that they may receive flight status updates on your behalf.”

“If your travel itinerary also includes a booking with another airline, please contact the airline directly for your options.”