Heathrow aims to hit 100mn passengers a year as third runway beckons

Heathrow is preparing to unveil plans to squeeze 100mn passengers a year through its cramped west London airfield, raising capacity by nearly a fifth before it pushes ahead with plans for a controversial third runway. The airport’s CE Thomas Woldbye will on Wednesday set out proposals for a “phased expansion programme”, which will start with improvements to its current site but ultimately “lay the groundwork for a third runway”. Airport bosses believe they can fit another 15mn people per year through the current airport by upgrading existing facilities, a multibillion-pound project that will include improving Terminals 2 and 5 and increasing the number of aircraft stands. The airport said this would be the largest ever private investment programme into the airport, eclipsing the £4.3bn spent to build Terminal 5 in 2008. In a speech at British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant on Wednesday, Woldbye will say the airport is acting to “answer the chancellor’s call”, after Rachel Reeves last month dramatically swung the government’s support behind growing the UK’s only hub airport. Woldbye will also pledge to then build a third runway, which could mean the airport could then handle about 140mn passengers per year. “A third runway is critical for the country’s future economic success, and I confirm we will submit our plans for a third runway to government this summer,” Woldbye will say. Heathrow will pledge to use UK steel in the upgrade in a boost to Britain’s domestic producers after American President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium sold into the US. Plans for Heathrow have been repeatedly delayed by political rows and economic turbulence over the past 20 years, but Reeves said she wanted the company to press ahead with seeking planning permission — a process that will take most of this five-year parliament. <br/>