The long-running fight over Heathrow’s third runway has taken a decisive turn. Chancellor John Healey told the Treasury select committee on Wednesday, November 11, that the government is behind building a third runway at Heathrow, adding that he is part of that government. Downing Street confirmed the chancellor was setting out the government’s position, which the Telegraph read as a sign that the prime minister is now on board. The proposals are expected to go to a vote of MPs early next year.
The statement matters because the signals had been mixed. In September, Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to publicly support expanding the London hub, leaving the project’s future in doubt. Healey argued that successful airports are often an engine of economic growth for their wider regions, citing Manchester and parts of London, and he had made a similar case about airport expansion at the International Monetary Fund meeting in Bangkok last month.
Heathrow’s chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said the airport was positively surprised and very happy with the statement. Speaking at the Airlines 2026 conference, he said the country needs a third runway more than ever, and FlightGlobal reported that he now sees the debate shifting from whether to build to how. A draft national policy statement on Heathrow expansion went out for consultation earlier this year, and officials say they will judge any plan against obligations on climate change, noise, air quality and economic growth.
For travelers, nothing changes soon. Any new runway is many years away and still faces a parliamentary vote, planning approvals and almost certain legal challenges from opponents. But a third runway would be the biggest change to Britain’s main hub in decades, opening the door to more routes and potentially easing the congestion that makes Heathrow so vulnerable to disruption. The next milestone to watch is the vote in Parliament early in 2027.
Sources: Travel Weekly, FlightGlobal
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