Heathrow has submitted its “shovel-ready” plans for a third runway as part of a £50bn investment, as the government said expanding Europe’s largest airport could create 100,000 jobs and drive growth.
The 2-mile (3.2km) runway expansion would cross a diverted M25 and allow more than 750 additional flights a day over London, helping bring the total annual number of passengers to 150 million.
With capacity maxed out, CEO Thomas Woldbye says the time to act is now: “We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity… It is time to clear the way for take-off.”
Environmental campaigners called it a “doomed scheme” that would release millions of tonnes of CO2 while benefiting only a small minority of rich flyers.
The plan would add 30 new global destinations, increase total flight movements to 756,000 per year, and boost cargo throughput by 50 percent. The airport also promises lower fares driven by greater airline competition and network choice.
Beyond aviation, Heathrow says the project could inject 0.43 percent into UK GDP and direct 60 percent of its supply chain spend to regions outside London and the South-East. The expansion is expected to create jobs, enhance resilience across UK trade lanes, and improve access for both passengers and cargo operators.
