Heathrow tunnel closed: UK airport issues warning as 'central' tunnel to Terminals 2 and 3 shut due to 'technical issue'

The airport issued the warning this morning (Tuesday 5 August) at around 9:30am. It said on X: “Due to a technical issue, the Central Terminal Area tunnel to Terminals 2 and 3 is currently closed.

“Please use public transport to Terminal 5, where train services are available to all other terminals. We’re working hard to resolve the issue and apologise for the disruption.”

Passengers at the airport have been posting images on X showing the tunnel closed. One user wrote: “Tunnel is closed at the port - chaos apparently.”

Another wrote: “Tunnel closed in / out of the port, extractor fans are buggered“. An angry user added: “And you want expansion!?!? Can’t handle what you have!!!!”.

The airport has not yet confirmed what has caused the “technical issue” or what the nature of the incident is. It comes after the airport has revealed details of its plan to expand and modernise the site at a cost of £49bn.

Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, said expansion was "urgent" as the airport was currently working at capacity, "to the detriment of trade and connectivity". The work would be funded by private finance.

The government has backed plans for a third runway, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves saying it would "make Britain the world's best connected place to do business". However, the plans face opposition from environmental groups, politicians, and locals. London's mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said it would have a "severe impact on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets".