Chancellor John Healey confirmed to the Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday 11 November that the government supports a third runway at Heathrow, ending months of uncertainty over whether ministers still backed the project. For anyone flying through Heathrow now, nothing changes: a new runway, if it goes ahead, remains years from construction and will not affect current flights, terminals or security processes.
Asked by MPs what assessment had been made of the scheme, Healey said: "So the Government is behind a third runway at Heathrow, I'm part of the Government." He added that successful airports are "very often an engine for economic growth in the wider area," comparing Heathrow's potential impact to Manchester Airport's role in the north west. Healey also said Britain was taking "too long" to approve and build major infrastructure, and that the government was working to speed up such decisions.
The comments were significant because Prime Minister Andy Burnham had pointedly declined to back the expansion. In a September interview, Burnham called the third runway "a matter for London" and described it as "a contested issue," comments that unsettled investors backing the roughly 33 billion pound scheme. Downing Street confirmed on Wednesday that Healey's remarks reflected the government's official position, which political reporters took as a sign Burnham is now aligned with the rest of the Cabinet.
Heathrow's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, welcomed the statement. "We are positively surprised about the statement that came out today, but very happy with it," he said. "Everyone supports this. Now how do we get it done in the best possible way?"
The renewed backing follows warnings earlier this year that the project could miss its original 2035 completion target by around four years because of planning and regulatory delays. The scheme would add a third runway and additional terminal capacity to Heathrow, which is already Europe's busiest airport by passenger numbers, but it still faces a lengthy planning process, environmental objections and a decision from the Department for Transport on detailed proposals before any construction can begin.
The story was reported by The Telegraph and the Evening Standard, both of whom quoted Healey's committee appearance directly and confirmed Downing Street's position afterwards.
What this means for your journey: current Heathrow flights, terminals and transport links are unaffected by this announcement. If you have a trip booked, check our guide to [getting to Heathrow by public transport](/public-transport/) as usual, since any expansion is still years away from changing how the airport operates day to day.