Heathrow will submit proposals for a third runway to the Government by the end of July, with plans for it to be operational within 10 years.
The proposal, which Heathrow said will help it secure ‘long-term growth’, comes after it handled a record 39.9 million passengers in the first half of 2025, up from 39.8m a year ago.
The airport said passenger numbers had risen due to airlines operating larger aircraft, combined with strong demand for routes to the Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
It expects to handle 84m passengers during the whole of this year.
“We will submit our proposal to Ministers by July 31 on how we can secure long-term capacity growth at the UK’s hub airport,” said Heathrow. “Our plans will be entirely privately financed and have the potential to kickstart economic growth across the whole of the UK from construction through to operation.”
Heathrow is hoping to secure planning permission in this Parliament and for the runway to be open by 2035.
The airport is sticking with its ambition to expand, despite a 37.2% year-on-year drop in profits, from £323m in the first half of 2024 to £203m in the first six months of this year, after its operating costs increased by 3.2% to £765m. It blamed higher maintenance costs to support operational performance, increased National Insurance contributions and higher electricity prices.
CEO Thomas Woldbye told news agency PA the financial impact of the closure of the airport in March, due to a fire at an electricity substation, was expected be in the ‘low tens of millions’.
Heathrow’s revenue grew 1.9% to £1.72bn in the first half, up from £1.69bn in the same period last year, driven by more long-haul flying and an increase in retail, food and beverage sales.
