Heathrow rejects calls to put affordability at heart of third runway debate Aviation Affordability should not be included in the scorecard that the government sets third runway developers, Heathrow’s operations chief has told MPs, rejecting industry concerns that costs could spiral after ministers rubber stamp a design. Helen Elsby, the chief solutions officer at Heathrow Airport Limited, said the project’s frontrunner was “absolutely aligned with the criticality of [...]
Abandoning third runway would be bad for UK, Istanbul airport boss warns Aviation The UK risks missing out on a “positive cycle in the economy” if it fails to approve Heathrow’s third runway, the boss of Istanbul airport has said, adding that a phased approach to development could help keep a lid on the mega-project’s eye-watering costs. Selahattin Bilgen, chief executive of Turkey’s iGA Istanbul Airport, told City [...]
Aviation bosses confident Burnham won’t abandon third runway Aviation The aviation industry is confident that Andy Burnham won’t abandon the government’s flagship expansion of Heathrow, despite the Prime Minister and transport secretary distancing themselves from the megaproject at Labour conference. Several industry figures told City AM that ministers’ refusal to endorse the multibillion-pound third runway development was a sign Burnham had not yet evaluated [...]
Heathrow’s billionaire bidder: I’ll put every penny I have on more third runway delays September 29, 2026 The billionaire hotel tycoon behind a rival bid to develop Heathrow’s third runway has said there is “no way” the proposal put forward by the airport’s owner can be delivered on time, even after the megaproject was delayed by four years. Surinder Arora, whose eponymous property group is spearheading the ‘Heathrow West’ bid to build [...]
Passengers to foot bill for Heathrow third runway bidding process July 29, 2026 Heathrow will be allowed to pass the vast bill it has racked up preparing its third runway bid onto passengers, the aviation watchdog has said, in a ruling that promises to extend the airport’s position as the most expensive in the world. The Civil Aviation Authority judged that Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) will be allowed [...]
Burnham’s new chief of staff ran City firm advising Thames Water and rival Heathrow bidder June 24, 2026 Andy Burnham’s likely chief of staff will move to Downing Street from a lobbying firm that counts Thames Water and the rival bidder for Heathrow’s third runway as clients, just as ministers mull decisions that could decide both organisations’ fate. James Purnell is widely tipped to become Burnham’s most senior right-hand man should the Makerfield [...]
Ministers open door to phased Heathrow third runway plan June 18, 2026 Heathrow’s third runway expansion may be built over several phases in a bid to hit the government’s ambitious timeline, opening the door to a proposal tabled by rival bidder Heathrow West. In planning documents published by the Department for Transport on Thursday, the government said that a phased construction of the mega-project may be necessary [...]
Watchdog rules Heathrow third runway could be built by rival bidder May 15, 2026 Heathrow will lose its decades-old monopoly over building and operating new projects at the airport under new proposals tabled by the aviation watchdog, paving the way for a rival operator to build the third runway and new terminal. As part of a review of the airport’s red tape conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority, the [...]
Businesses back Heathrow bid to run third runway November 18, 2025 A group of well-known firms has urged ministers to approve the third runway expansion plan tabled by the owner of Heathrow airport, arguing its plan will deliver “the greatest economic benefit to the UK”. In a letter to transport secretary Heidi Alexander, bosses from the likes of Burberry, Caffe Nero and Fortnum and Mason threw [...]
Third runway shortlist revealed as ministers push for fast take-off October 22, 2025 The transport secretary has shortlisted two potential operators to oversee the development of Heathrow’s third runway as part of an overhaul of the planning process that she hopes will speed up the megaproject’s delivery. Heidi Alexander told MPs on Wednesday that bids from incumbent operator Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) and the ‘Heathrow West’ proposal from [...]