By Maria Kalamatas | March 25, 2025 | The Logistic News
The unexpected closure of Heathrow Airport last Friday has disrupted over £5.43 million worth of goods, with industry experts warning that the true cost could run into the tens of millions. According to Parcelhero, a leading international delivery specialist, the shutdown has had a deeper and more prolonged impact on the UK supply chain than initially estimated—particularly for time-sensitive products such as pharmaceuticals and perishable foods.
Heathrow, which handles approximately 70% of all UK air cargo by value, was brought to a standstill following a fire at an electricity substation that caused a complete power outage. While much of the media spotlight focused on stranded passengers, cargo operations were equally affected, with freight services grinding to a halt.
David Jinks, Head of Consumer Research at Parcelhero and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, praised the Government’s swift decision to initiate an investigation led by the National Energy System Operator. “Heathrow plays a vital role in UK trade,” he said. “The disruption to cargo services cannot be overlooked. The airport handles around £1.98 billion worth of goods annually—equivalent to 1.43 million tonnes of freight.”
With nearly 1,400 flights scheduled for Friday alone, the majority of cargo affected was transported in the bellyhold of passenger aircraft—highlighting the sector’s vulnerability to disruptions in commercial aviation. Only 10% of Heathrow’s cargo is carried on dedicated freighters, meaning that delays in passenger operations directly impact freight movement.
“The freight backlog is being compounded by renewed passenger demand as travelers rearrange flights, making it even harder for shippers to secure space on aircraft,” Jinks explained. “And while Heathrow’s cargo facilities reopened over the weekend, the system is under strain. Alternative hubs at Luton, Stansted, and Gatwick are absorbing some of the volume, but the logistics of rerouting and rescheduling freight remain daunting.”
Heathrow processed 120,765 metric tonnes of cargo in February alone. Even a temporary disruption of this scale, according to Parcelhero, creates cascading effects throughout the UK’s logistics network. One prominent example was IAG Cargo’s temporary inability to accept freight at Heathrow on Saturday, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing cargo operators.
Although ground services continued on Friday—allowing imports already on site to be collected—priority is now being given to high-urgency shipments such as medicines, perishables, and express deliveries. Nevertheless, supply chain delays are expected to ripple across sectors for days.
“Heathrow handles everything from gold bars and e-commerce parcels to tech components and flowers,” said Jinks. “Disruption here affects the delivery of just-in-time goods, idles production lines, and triggers costly rerouting efforts.”
The impact is especially acute for trade with the United States—Britain’s largest trading partner—given Heathrow’s extensive transatlantic network. With 234 destinations in over 85 countries, Heathrow’s shutdown has disrupted global supply chains across multiple sectors.
The final financial toll is yet to be tallied, but the knock-on effects on businesses, retailers, and manufacturers will be felt well beyond airport terminals. As calls grow for greater infrastructure resilience, the incident stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of global trade routes dependent on single points of failure.
