Holidaymakers faced chaos at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday morning after a road tunnel closure led to severe overcrowding on train platforms. The tunnel to Terminals 2 and 3 was shut due to a technical issue, causing long tailbacks on the M4 Heathrow Spur and forcing passengers to wait over an hour to reach their flights.
The disruption was so severe that the Elizabeth Line had to suspend services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow due to overcrowding. One passenger, Scott Roberts, reported taking 80 minutes to travel just 100 metres inside the airport, and described a lack of information from staff. Another traveller, Tobi, celebrating his birthday, said the airport was “really crowded” but not immobile.
The tunnel reopened shortly before 11:30am, and Elizabeth Line services resumed within the hour. A Heathrow spokesperson apologised for the disruption, blaming a technical issue. The incident follows a recent air traffic control glitch that grounded flights across UK airports, and comes as Heathrow unveils a £49 billion expansion plan.
