A fire at an electrical substation in London has caused a power outage forcing Heathrow airport to shutter for a full day.

At least 1,350 flights will be be impacted, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar 24 — not including flights that might be cancelled or delayed due to aircrafts being out of position.

“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow” for the full day, the airport said, adding that it expects “significant disruption over the coming days.”

Passengers have been advised to not travel to the airport under any circumstances until it is reopened.

Scores of flights have been diverted to other airports and several, including United Airlines flights from the US, have been cancelled according to the airline.

Some flights arriving from the US to the airport were forced to turn around mid-air and return to their point of departure.

Qantas, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have all recorded disruption to their flight services as aircraft carriers were forced to quickly shuffle their planes and crews around as a result of the incident.

The power outage was sparked when a transformer within an electrical substation in west London caught fire.

The London Fire Brigade said 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters were called to the scene at 10.23 pm CET Thursday. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

The fire has also caused significant disruption to the surrounding area with power outages impacting more than 16,300 homes. The fire brigade said it received nearly 200 calls related to the incident and deployed crews from Hayes, Heathrow, Hillingdon, Southhall and surrounding areas on the scene.

Footage posted to social media showed huge flames and large plumes of smoke coming from the facility.

National Grid UK issued a statement saying the fire had damaged equipment, adding it was working at speed to “restore power supplies as quickly as possible.”

Heathrow has said the closure would last until midnight on Friday.

The UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system has officially expanded to European travellers. Starting 2 April 2025, EU (except Irish nationals), EEA, and Swiss citizens will need ETA approval to enter the UK.

The system became mandatory for travellers from the US, Canada and Australia on 8 January 2025, following its rollout last November for nationals of Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

To obtain the visa waiver, which costs £10 (€12), travellers need to complete an online process. Unfortunately, there are already reports of scam websites offering to assist with paperwork.

Here’s what to watch out for to avoid paying more than you need to.

The ETA replaces the single-use Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) scheme, offering a lower cost option with multi-entry validity.

The UK government says its mobile app is the quickest and easiest way to apply for an ETA. You can download the ETA app from the UK government website.

If you cannot download the app, you can also apply online here.

To complete the application, make sure you have on hand the passport you’ll be travelling on, an email address and a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. You will have to answer a set of suitability questions. You don’t need to enter your travel details.

The government advises applying at least three working days before your trip.

You can delete the app when you’ve finished applying. Your ETA will be linked to your passport digitally, and you will not need to show anything else when you enter the UK.

Watch out for ETA visa waiver scam websites

The above methods are the only secure and legitimate ways to apply for the ETA.

There are no external or third-party websites that are authorised by the UK government to process the visa waiver.

These sites will simply complete the application for you via the official channels while charging you extra for their services.

Be aware that some of these sites appear above the government website (www.gov.uk) on Google searches.

It is the traveller’s individual responsibility to apply for the ETA before arriving in the UK so you will not receive reminders from the UK government. If you receive emails or text messages prompting you to apply, these will not be legitimate.

Some of the most lauded tourist attractions in the world leave travellers distinctly underwhelmed, a new study has found.

Luggage storage company Radical Storage analysed 95,352 visitor reviews across 200 of the most visited landmarks to reveal the world’s most disappointing tourist attractions.

The top five spots were all taken by European sights, a few of which are often considered bucket list-worthy destinations.

The world’s most disappointing tourist attraction is in the UK

Inspired by Disneyland’s success in America, the country estate of Alton Towers was transformed into a theme park in the 1980s. With 10 themed areas spread across 910 acres, it is the UK’s biggest.

However, the research found that almost half of the reviews for the Staffordshire-based amusement park featured words indicating a negative experience. For context, the average rate of negative reviews in the study is 10.9 per cent.

Alton Towers had the highest percentage of reviews that specifically complained about value for money including misleading ticket information, and expectations to pay for overpriced add-ons such as expensive food and drink or access to different areas of the park.

Comments also suggest it’s often not the rides that disappoint customers, but the customer service.

Budapest’s thermal baths are overcrowded

The Széchenyi Baths and Pool in Hungary’s capital Budapest is the largest medicinal bath in Europe and has been a wellness tourism destination since 1913.

However, over a third of people who left a review of the baths online reported a less than satisfactory experience. The baths ranked third worst in the crowds and accessibility category (16.8 per cent of all reviews compared to the 4.4 per cent average).

Spain’s famed Siam Park has poor customer service

Siam Park in the Spanish Tenerife is Europe’s biggest water park, opened by the Princess of Thailand Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2007. However, a visit to the “world’s best water park” is not universally enjoyable. Reviewers frequently mention the rude staff and accessibility issues.

Some reviewers mentioned feeling shamed due to their weight and mentioned the park not being disability-friendly. Overall, nearly a third of reviews had something negative to say about their experience.

Time Out Market Lisboa is a victim of its own success

Planned and built by the magazine Time Out (a British media and hospitality company) in 2014, Time Out Market Lisboa was the company’s first venture into food halls.

In 2018 the project earned the prestigious Hamburg Foodservice Award – one of the most respected awards in the food-service industry. But according to reviews, things may have taken a turn for the worse since. Over a quarter of reviewers have left underwhelmed or disappointed.

It seems the Time Out Market Lisboa is a victim of its own success. The attraction had the greatest percentage of reviews mentioning crowds or access issues (18.4 per cent compared to the 4.4 per cent average).

The Trevi Fountain is too crowded

The Trevi Fountain is an iconic Baroque monument in Rome and has been featured in popular films such as Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Wyler’s Roman Holiday.

Every year, tourists throw an estimated €1 million into the fountain, and a coin tossed into the water is supposed to guarantee a return to Rome in the future.

But if you cast a wish into the fountain, you may want to time your visit wisely. After Time Out Market Lisboa, the reviews had the second greatest proportion of people mentioning crowds or accessibility issues. Overall, one in four people had something negative to say about their experience.

The fountain was also closed for renovations for part of 2024, which may have contributed to some visitors’ disappointment.