UK’s biggest airports between them hope for 60% increase in…
The UK’s 8 biggest airports have plans to fly almost 150 million more passengers per year, in a bet that climate targets will not hold back the industry. A Financial Times analysis of their expansion projects found that combined they would be able to handle 387 mn passengers annually, a more than 60% increase on the 240mn travellers who used the airports in 2019. If Heathrow ever managed to build a 3rd runway, it would like to increase the annual passenger number from 81 million in 2019, to 142 million. If Gatwick is allowed (DCO likely in a few months) to convert is emergency runway into near full use, it could get more than 30 million more passengers per year. Manchester plans expansion of one of its terminals to handle an extra 15mn passengers annually. Edinburgh completed the work to raise its capacity to 20mn passengers in 2019. Airport executives and investors said airports were looking to push through growth plans because many in the industry believed that it would only get more difficult in the future as environmental pressures grew. The UK has no proper aviation policy, other than wildly optimistic hopes for novel low carbon fuels, and approval of “making best use” of existing infrastructure. .Tweet UK’s top airports aim to fly 150mn more passengers a year Expansion plans would lift numbers by 60% as sector pursues growth ahead of 2050 net zero target, FT analysis finds By Philip Georgiadis, Transport Correspondent (FT) 19.3.2023 The UK’s eight biggest airports have plans to fly almost 150mn more passengers a year, the equivalent of 300,000 extra jumbo jets, in a bet that climate targets will not hold back the industry. A Financial Times analysis of their expansion projects found that combined they would be able to handle 387mn passengers annually, a more than 60% increase on the 240mn travellers who used the airports in 2019. The figures highlight how airports are planning for a period of breakneck growth despite significant financial losses during the pandemic. They also demonstrate how the industry believes that transformational growth is still possible in the lead-up to the deadline in 2050 for the UK to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions. More than a third of the growth would come from London Heathrow’s proposed megaproject to build a third runway. This would increase passenger capac
