Heathrow plans to resume some flights today and hopes for full Saturday service

A stranded passenger at Heathrow Terminal 5 in London. Picture: PA

Britain's Heathrow said it had begun the process of reopening on Friday after a fire knocked out its power supply and shut Europe's busiest airport for the day, stranding thousands of passengers and causing travel turmoil worldwide.

Heathrow, the world's fifth-busiest airport, was forced to close after a huge fire engulfed a substation near the airport on Thursday night.