Airports Commission

On 25 October 2016, the Government confirmed that Heathrow is its preferred option for expansion of airport capacity in the South East. This means there is now a clear direction from the government that allows Heathrow to develop its plans for a new runway.

Background

• On July 1, 2015, the Airports Commission recommended Heathrow expansion, in its final report, as the best option to maintain the UK’s status as a global aviation hub.
• The recommendation follows a 2.5 year, £20 million analysis into aviation capacity in the UK. Over 50 proposals were considered during the process.
• Significantly, The Airports Commission found that up to £211bn in economic benefits and up to 180,000 jobs across the UK will be created with Heathrow expansion.
• Heathrow – the UK’s hub airport – has been operating at 98% capacity for a decade and expansion will create space for another 260,000 flights.