London airport expansion not needed until 2030s, says Gatwick

London airports will not need to expand until at least the 2030s after the industry was hammered by Covid, according to bosses at Gatwick - casting fresh doubt over the future of a third runway at rival Heathrow. In a filing for bond investors, Gatwick said that extra capacity will not be needed for many years following a near-total collapse in passenger travel triggered by Covid restrictions. The admission will add to speculation that plans to expand Heathrow are facing a long delay. Passenger numbers at Britain's biggest airport have fallen to their lowest level since 1966. Gatwick has also suffered, losing its third biggest airline Norwegian during the crisis, while British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have pulled flights from the Sussex airport. A prospectus published by Gatwick ahead of a GBP450m bond raising said: “At least for the rest of this decade, London’s airports will be relying on their existing physical capacity to meet expected increasing demand.”<br/>