Surinder Arora, the hotel entrepreneur behind the rival Heathrow West bid to build Heathrow's third runway, said on Tuesday 29 September there is "no way" the airport's own expansion plan can be delivered by its newly revised 2039 target, and that it could slip to 2042 or later. There is no change to flights, terminals or current operations at Heathrow; the dispute concerns only the long-term expansion project.
Speaking to City AM, Arora said he and several airlines had commissioned research concluding that Heathrow Airport Limited's (HAL) scheme was not deliverable until 2042 at the earliest. "There is no way that project can be delivered and operational by 2039," he said. "It's just not going to happen." He added he would "put every penny" of his personal fortune and hotel portfolio on HAL's project being delayed beyond 2040.
Arora's intervention follows HAL's admission over the weekend that the original 2035 opening date, set under former chancellor Rachel Reeves, is no longer achievable, with flights on a new runway now not expected before 2039. Arora argues the delay strengthens the case for Heathrow West, his alternative proposal drawn up with technical advisers Bechtel and Changi and backed by airlines including IAG, Virgin Atlantic and Swissport. His plan centres on a shorter 2,400-metre runway costing around £25bn, avoiding the need to build over the M25 or relocate reservoirs, unlike HAL's £49bn scheme for a longer 3,500-metre runway.
In a related interview with The Telegraph published Monday 28 September, Arora said his project "is deliverable, affordable, meets the government timelines and works for the airlines," and urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to back his proposal rather than HAL's after Burnham declined at the weekend to say whether he personally supports Heathrow expansion, calling it "a matter for London and Londoners."
HAL has not yet responded publicly to Arora's latest comments. The airport has previously said its focus is on securing planning permission by 2029, after which construction would take about a decade, and that it remains committed to progressing its application "with pace."
For passengers, nothing changes today or in the near future. Heathrow continues to operate as normal on its existing two runways, and any new runway, whichever scheme is eventually approved, remains well over a decade away. What this means for your journey: current terminals, routes and journey times to Heathrow are unaffected by this dispute. If you are travelling through the airport, see our guide to Heathrow parking at /parking/ for options if you are driving, or our public transport guide at /public-transport/ for train, bus and coach routes.