Airports occasionally close or run with heavy delays, because of bad weather, a power failure, a strike or a security alert. When it happens at Heathrow it affects thousands of flights at once. This guide explains what to do, and what happens to your airport transfer if your flight is delayed, moved or cancelled.
A recent example: the March 2025 closure
On 21 March 2025, Heathrow closed after a fire late the night before at the North Hyde electricity substation, which supplies the airport. No flights operated until around 6 pm that evening, and more than a thousand flights were affected. An official review by the National Energy System Operator later found that the fire was preventable. Closures on that scale are rare, but they show why it helps to know what to do.
If you are flying out
- Check with your airline first. Your airline decides whether your flight goes, and it will tell you by email, text or in its app. Heathrow’s own website and social media carry airport-wide updates.
- Do not set off for a closed airport unless your airline tells you to.
- Tell us as soon as you know. If your flight is moved, call us on +44 1582 800333, 24/7, and we will change your pickup time. If it is cancelled, you can cancel your transfer free of charge up to 2 hours before pickup.
If you are flying in
When you book an airport pickup, add your flight number. We track your flight, so if it lands early or late your pickup time moves with it at no extra cost, however long the delay, and we email you the new pickup time automatically. Your 45 minutes of free waiting start when you land. If your flight is diverted to a different airport, call us 24/7 on +44 1582 800333. If we cannot provide a driver at the new time, your booking is cancelled and refunded in full.
Our guide to flight delays and your Heathrow taxi explains flight tracking and waiting time in more detail.
Cancellation terms, in short
- Free cancellation up to 2 hours before your pickup.
- Between 30 minutes and 2 hours before pickup, a 70% charge applies.
- Under 30 minutes before pickup, the booking is non-refundable.
More about Heathrow
See our guide to Heathrow’s terminals for drop-off and pick-up, and our Heathrow airport taxi page for everything about our service. Get an instant fixed-price quote or call us 24/7 on +44 1582 800333.
