Air, Forwarding, Freight News, Logistics


Airfreight must be part of Heathrow expansion plans, says logistics industry

[ August 1, 2025   //   ]

Heathrow airport said on 1 August that it had submitted £47bn of “shovel-ready” proposals for a 100% privately financed third runway, capable of going into operation within a decade. The blueprint submitted to Government includes a north-western runway up to 3,500m – a design that already has Parliamentary support, increased capacity to serve up to 756,000 flights and 150 million passengers and new and expanded passenger terminals.

It said an expanded Heathrow would give at least 30 new daily routes and a better selection of flight times

The investment consists of three main elements: £21bn for the new runway and airfield infrastructure (up from £14bn in 2018 due to construction inflation), £12bn for new terminal and stand capacity – the brand new T5X – and £15bn for modernising the current airport through expanding Terminal 2 and ultimately closing Terminal 3.

A third runway and supporting infrastructure can be ready within a decade, it said with the full investment taking place over the coming decades.

With formal proposals for a third runway at Heathrow Airport now submitted, Logistics UK senior policy manager Alexandra Herdman has called for air freight to be included in expansion plans.

He said: “Heathrow is the UK’s biggest port by value, and a critical hub which provides access to the rest of the UK and the world for British business. It is essential that the final scheme makes full provision for developing air freight alongside passenger flights, to smooth imports and exports and enable industry to drive growth. Increasing airport capacity is a vital component to ensure UK plc continues to grow and reach new global markets.

“Industry has been urging government for a long time to support nationally significant infrastructure projects, such as the third runway at Heathrow, and it is vital that these projects are now developed at pace to boost growth across the whole economy as quickly as possible.”

British International Freight Association (BIFA) director general Steve Parker, said: “Over the past decades, successive UK governments have shown a singular lack of vision in the face of a massive surge in air transport and consequent pressure on existing airport infrastructure in the south east.”
 “BIFA members, who facilitate a significant proportion of the UK’s visible international trade through gateways like Heathrow, want to see the government abide by its objective to enable the delivery of an operational third runway by 2035.
“That will require swift decisions on the proposals that have been submitted, in order for applications for planning consent to come forward in time to enable decisions to be made this Parliament.
“BIFA’s hope is that if that is achieved, we may finally see the start on a long overdue expansion of UK aviation hub capacity.
“It is now time for everyone, including politicians of all parties, to pull together in the national interest and support the bold plans to expand and improve airport infrastructure at Heathrow in order to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s most important aviation hub.”
While BIFA has been waiting for news about a third runway, it has focused on the airport’s cargo development and is already working closely with the airport to support the plans and software enhancements revealed last October. These would mean a significant redevelopment of the cargo estate set to commence in the next two to three years, as the airport looks to accommodate rising demand, modernise some ageing first-line cargo handling facilities, and improve cargo flows and efficiency.

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