London Heathrow

LONDON Heathrow Airport has revealed their multi-billion masterplan for the extension of the airport including the controversial third runway.

The huge project is expected to cost nearly £50million, if given the go-ahead by the government.

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The major new upgrade will be the £21billion third runway, which is set to be operational in the next 10 years.

This is the same estimation of costs predicted in 2014 of £14billion, when adjusted for inflation.

The new 3,500 metre runway will be in the northwest of the airport, and will eventually welcome up to 276,000 new flights a year.

This takes the annual flights from 480,000 to 756,000, with as many as 30 new flight routes a day.

It could even welcome more budget airlines, such as easyJet who have expressed desires to launch from London Heathrow with the expansion.

easyJet boss Kenton Jarvis said: “I’ve always thought Heathrow would fit our network of primary airports with great catchment areas.

“It would be a unique opportunity to operate from Heathrow at scale and give us an opportunity to provide lower fares for UK consumers that currently at Heathrow just have the option of flag carriers.”

The airport suggests this could save as much as £79billion over three decades with the addition of low-cost airlines.

A new £15billion terminal complex will also be built, called T5XW and T5XN.

The creation of the new terminals will also see T1 and T3 demolished, and T2 expanded, at the cost of £15billion.

In total, the entire project is expected to cost as much as £49billion.

As many as 150million passengers could then be using the airport, up from 84million.

This would make it the busiest airports in the world, overtaking Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s 105million passengers.

The airport hopes to get planning permission by 2029, if ministers allow the proposal to go ahead.

Other parts of the renovation include a 50 per cent in cargo capacity, and and larger access for buses and trains.

One of the biggest concerns is the access around the M25, a notoriously busy motorway.

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The improvement plans also include the widening the M25 near the Heathrow junctions (at a cost of £1.5billion) which will see a new section in a tunnel under the runway to reduce congestion.

A similar road layout is already in place at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.

Earlier today, rival plans for a cheaper third runway were put forward.

Arora Group – a major Heathrow landowner – proposed a shorter third runway which would eliminate the need to reroute the M25.

Rather than being 3,500 metres in length, it would be just 2,800 metres.

The plans also include a new T6 terminal, with the full project estimated at £25million – half the cost of the official London Heathrow plans.

Mr Surinder Arora explained in regards to the ‘Heathrow West’ plan: “I am proud to unveil the Heathrow West proposal which meets the UK’s ambition to grow its only hub airport while delivering on time and on budget.”

He added that the Arora Group had a “track record of delivering on-time and on-budget projects including in and around Heathrow airport.”

However, London Heathrow refuted their suggestions in the their own proposal, saying “any other proposal would not have this extensive public scrutiny and policy backing, risking years of delay and judicial review which mean the Government’s timetable would be undeliverable.”

They also said that shorter runways “do not necessarily cost less” as the different location would require buying more residential properties with compensation costs not factored in.

Here’s another mega airport opening in Europe set to take on London Heathrow.

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RIVAL plans for the multi-billion pound expansion of London Heathrow Airport have been revealed – with a much shorter third runway.

Surinder Arora – behind the Arora Group who are a major landowner of Heathrow – submitted his own designs for the massive airport upgrade.

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Called ‘Heathrow West,’ the £25billion plans are being developed with infrastructure company Bechtel, who were also behind major projects such as the Elizabeth Line, Channel Tunnel and expansions of both London City and London Gatwick.

The biggest change to the addition of the third runway would be making it much smaller – being just 2,800 metres rather than 3,500.

Being smaller, it would mean the airport would not need to divert the M25 under the current plans, which will cost billions and result in traffic chaos.

The new runway could be operational as soon as 2035.

The rival plans also include a new terminal – dubbed T6 – which would open in a first phase by 2036, will a full opening by 2040.

Mr Arora – who also owns Heathrow hotels such as Sofitel, Crowne Plaza and Hilton Garden Inn – said: “I am proud to unveil the Heathrow West proposal which meets the UK’s ambition to grow its only hub airport while delivering on time and on budget.

“The Government’s decision to invite competition rather than hand exclusivity to the incumbent is common sense – and we’re ready to deliver.”

He added: “The Arora Group has a proven track record of delivering on-time and on-budget projects including in and around Heathrow airport.”

With estimated costs of £25billion, this is much cheaper than what is expected of London Heathrow’s plans.

The last estimate from Heathrow was in 2014, with a cost of £14million – although experts have said this could be closer to £47.5billion in today’s prices.

London Heathrow invited rival plans last month, with a deadline of July 31.

The airport is set to submit their own plans later today.

The addition of a third runway was backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves earlier this year.

However, Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan raised concerns, to do with the local environment.

There are also fears of more expensive flights with the new runway, with the airport asking for the landing fees to be increased to cover the costs.

Currently set at £23.73, this will drop by 2p next year, with the fee passed on from airline to passenger.

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However, easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis backed the plans, and even suggested they could launch from their.

He previously said: “When it comes to Heathrow, I’ve always thought Heathrow would fit our network of primary airports with great catchment areas.

“It would be a unique opportunity to operate from Heathrow at scale – because obviously right now it’s slot-constrained – and give us an opportunity to provide lower fares for UK consumers that currently at Heathrow just have the option of flag carriers.

“It fits with our network, we’re present at all the other major European airports like Schiphol, Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Geneva.”

In the mean time, here are some other airports undergoing major expansions including London Stansted Airport, costing £1.1billion with a £600million new terminal.

Manchester Airport is undergoing a £1.3billion renovation.

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HEATHROW Airport has been evacuated after reports of a fire.

Passengers were forced out of Terminal Three at Europe’s largest airport as fire crews probe the incident.

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Passengers have reported huge queues and baggage claim being shut down as staff respond to the alarm.

Writing on X, the airport said: “While the fire service investigate a fire alarm, some areas of Terminal 3 have been temporarily evacuated.

“Colleagues are working as quickly as possible to resolve this, and we apologise for any disruption this may cause to journeys.”

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