Heathrow boss to be hauled in front of MPs after fire closure disrupted 200,000 passengers
Chief executive Thomas Woldbye will give evidence to the Transport Select Committee
Heathrow’s boss will be grilled by MPs next week following the airport’s closure after a fire at a nearby electricity substation.
The fire, and subsequent closure of Heathrow, caused disruption for more than 200,000 passengers.
The Transport Select Committee said chief executive Thomas Woldbye will give evidence at a one-off session on Wednesday, 2 April
The hearing will investigate the closure of the west London airport to all flights on Friday until around 6pm, after a fire at a nearby electricity substation late on Thursday night.
Questions to Mr Woldbye are likely to cover topics such as why the airport was closed, whether it could have been reopened sooner, back-up power supplies, and why he reportedly went back to bed after the power outage began.
Other witnesses who will give evidence to the committee are to be confirmed.
It comes after John Pettigrew, chief executive of National Grid, told the Financial Times the airport had “enough power” from each of two other substations which were “always available”.
The airport has said the “unprecedented incident” meant it “would not have been possible for Heathrow to operate uninterrupted”.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband ordered the National Energy System Operator to investigate what happened and provide its initial findings within six weeks.
An internal review of the airport’s crisis management plans and its response will be undertaken by former transport secretary Ruth Kelly, who is an independent member of Heathrow’s board.
The Metropolitan Police said the cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.