Air Mauritius Flights Affected by Heathrow Shutdown; Service Resumes in 8 Days

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The sudden and total closure of Heathrow Airport in England on March 21st has sent shockwaves through the travel industry. This drastic action, prompted by a major power outage due to a nearby fire, may impact some Air Mauritius flights, even though the airline mainly operates from Gatwick.

With operations at Heathrow redirected to Gatwick and other London airports, the potential for congestion is concerning. The shutdown of London’s largest airport has caused significant disruptions in air traffic, worsening an already difficult situation.

Joël Toussaint, Air Mauritius’s communications manager, stated that “for the moment, our flights are not affected.” However, the expected increase in traffic at Gatwick raises uncertainties about the airline’s schedule. Additionally, several flights have already been rescheduled due to maintenance checks on one of the Airbus A350-900 aircraft, leading to disruptions for numerous regular flights between March 24th and April 6th, 2025.

Approximately two dozen flights are impacted, with some being cancelled and others experiencing delays of several hours, depending on their routes. Experts predict that it may take several days for Heathrow to reopen after being closed due to the electrical failure linked to the extinguished fire, potentially costing millions, if not tens of millions, of pounds. The complexity of the recovery process is significant, and a quick return to normal operations is unlikely.

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The immediate focus will be on re-routing passengers from cancelled flights and adjusting schedules for affected aircraft. Tourism and aviation expert Anita Mendiratta estimates it could take “between two and four days” to restore some level of normalcy, while aviation consultant Philip Butterworth-Hayes suggests it might take “seven or eight days.” Given this incident, experts anticipate a staggering financial impact on airlines and Heathrow itself, with losses possibly exceeding £50 million.