Summary
- London Heathrow Airport is considering reinstating plans for a third runway after putting them on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The proposed third runway and new passenger terminal would increase capacity by 260,000 flights per year.
- Despite opposition from political and environmental groups, Heathrow is actively reviewing the expansion plans and discussing the timeline for delivery with its new CEO.
With London Heathrow’s new CEO, Thomas Woldbye, officially starting the job last month, the airport is once again considering its long-term expansion options. Inevitably, the airport’s long-standing third runway plans are back on the agenda, with a firmer update expected in early 2024.
Heathrow may reinstate third runway plans
According to a recent FlightGlobal report, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is looking at reigniting plans to construct a third runway after sidelining the project over the COVID pandemic. With former Copenhagen Airport CEO Thomas Woldbye taking charge last month, LHR is eager to push ahead with its growth plans.
The airport’s proposed third runway – to be built north of the airport’s existing northern runway – and new passenger terminal would add capacity for around 260,000 additional flights per year.
Photo: Heathrow Airport
Speaking at the Airlines 2023 conference in London this week, Heathrow chief strategy officer Chris Annetts said,
“The question is how do you deliver [airport expansion] and when does it come? That’s the big question that we’re now discussing with Thomas joining us about a month ago. We are now actively reviewing that and trying to work out the answer to that question.”
As of this summer, Heathrow’s Director of Communities and Sustainability, Becky Coffin, confirmed the expansion project remained on hold and under internal review. Despite its position as one of the world’s busiest transport hubs, Heathrow has racked up billions in debt and has attracted plenty of criticism for continually raising its fees. However, the airport says it is “back to its best” following a strong summer showing, with passenger numbers up over 34% year-on-year.
Demand outpacing capacity
Heathrow served around 61.6 million passengers over 2022, still some way short of its highest-ever annual total of 80.9 million in 2019. As of October 31, Heathrow has exceeded last year’s total with 66.3 million served in 2023, representing a 12-month rolling total from November 2022 of 77.8 million.
Photo: London Heathrow Airport
While Annetts admits the airport still has “plenty of room to grow in the short to medium term,” it will need to consider more substantial expansion plans to keep up with demand. This winter, Heathrow will serve approximately 240 destinations across 89 countries.
UK transport minister Mark Harper invited Heathrow chiefs to put forward a proposal, claiming any plan will “get looked at in the proper way.” Other projects in the works at Heathrow include major security upgrades across its terminals and a new baggage system at Terminal 2.
Strong opposition remains
Ever since Heathrow announced its intentions to develop a third runway, various political and environmental groups have stiffly opposed the airport’s expansion.
Photo: Jarek Kilian | Shutterstock
The proposal was initially rejected on the grounds that it violated the UK government’s commitment to Paris Agreement climate targets. However, after Heathrow launched an appeal to the UK’s Supreme Court, this was overturned. It remains to be seen what further challenges the expansion may face.
Do you think London Heathrow Airport should push ahead with plans to develop a third runway? Let us know in the comments.
Source: FlightGlobal