Gatwick Airport's expansion plan involves bringing its emergency runway into routine use, a project that will cost £2.2 billion and is privately financed. The airport says it will not hike charges to airlines to fund the development.
What is the current runway situation at Gatwick?
Gatwick has one conventional runway and one standby runway. The standby runway is mostly used for aircraft to taxi to and from terminals but is also used when the main runway is closed for emergencies or maintenance. Gatwick is the UK's second busiest airport and one of the busiest single-runway airports in the world. Spare slots at peak periods are scarce, and the runway is heavily utilised, meaning disruption can have a severe knock-on effect.
What must happen to the standby runway?
To bring the standby runway into routine use, it must be moved 12 metres to the north – away from the main runway – to meet strict aviation safety rules. The plan also involves remodelling and replacing existing taxiways which connect runways to terminals, hangars and other facilities, extending both terminals, and installing new aircraft gates.
What about transport improvements?
Gatwick says it would pay for road connections to both terminals to be enhanced, creating fly-overs which separate local traffic from vehicles travelling to or from the airport. A £250 million upgrade of the airport’s railway station was completed in November 2023.
What would the standby runway be used for?
The standby runway would be used for departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. This would enable the airport to be used for about 386,000 flights per year, about 100,000 more than current levels. Annual passenger numbers could rise from about 43 million to 75 million by the late 2030s.
How much will the project cost and who pays?
The plan will cost £2.2 billion. Gatway says the project will be privately financed and has pledged to meet the cost without hiking charges to airlines. It is hoped flights will take off from the new full runway before 2029.
Who owns Gatwick and how does Heathrow expansion affect it?
Gatwick is owned by French company Vinci and investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners. The Government has indicated its support for Heathrow’s expansion plan, but it is likely to be many years before construction on a third runway at the west London airport begins. Gatwick is determined to boost its own capacity ahead of that happening.
