Ministers ‘monitoring’ how passengers looked after following Heathrow shutdown

Ministers are “closely monitoring” how airlines look after their passengers following the “unprecedented” Heathrow shutdown, the Transport Secretary has said. Heidi Alexander told the Commons the Government “is acutely aware of the need to ensure that passengers are well looked after”, after around 200,000 passengers were disrupted by the closure. A fire at the North Hyde electricity substation last week disrupted power supplies at the West London hub. Alexander said “back-up systems ensured safety and security systems and protocols were maintained at all times”, but these systems – including diesel generators – were not designed to support the airport’s full operations. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said earlier on Monday he was “not comfortable” with the shutdown. At the despatch box, the Transport Secretary said: “The Government is acutely aware of the need to ensure that passengers are well looked after and their consumer rights are protected. “This is why UK law ensures that airlines must provide passengers with a refund within seven days or to be rerouted to their destination under the same conditions. “We are closely monitoring to ensure that passengers are properly supported.”<br/>