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 [...]
Tax bill and Middle East weigh on Heathrow despite record numbers July 23, 2026 Heathrow’s tax bill has more than doubled in the first half of this year, weighing on profit at the airport despite it bucking the Middle East conflict to enjoy record passenger numbers. The west London hub faced a £129m bill to HMRC in the six months to July, according to its latest update, up from [...]
Airlines clash over Heathrow regulation July 16, 2026 Airlines have found themselves at loggerheads over the future of Heathrow, after one American carrier warned against the break-up of the owner’s monopoly even as others double down on calls for a new third runway operator. According to a freshly published consultation document from the Civil Aviation Authority, Delta Air Lines told regulators that a [...]
Heathrow launches mental health service for locals affected by third runway June 29, 2026 Heathrow has launched a mental health support service for residents affected by the third runway expansion in a bid to stave off opposition from hundreds of locals who face being turfed out for the development. In a letter set to locals last week, the west London hub confirmed plans for a fully funded wellbeing support [...]
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 [...]
Economic benefit of Heathrow expansion slashed by 90 per cent June 20, 2026 Heathrow’s third runway could boost the UK economy by just 0.05 per cent, a 90 per cent loss of the economic benefit that had been previously forecast. The expansion of the UK’s biggest airport will boost GDP by 0.05 per cent at best but this impact could be as little as 0.3 per cent, government [...]