Heathrow warns third runway could slip to 2039

Heathrow Airport has warned that its proposed third runway may not become operational until 2039, four years beyond the UK Government’s current target. The airport is understood to have told ministers that delivering the facility by 2035 is not achievable within the existing planning and regulatory timetable.

The Department for Transport has described the 2035 objective as ambitious and said it will continue working with stakeholders. The expansion is based on Heathrow Airport Limited’s north-west runway proposal, which the Government selected as the basis for the project in November 2025.

Longer constraints for air cargo planning

Heathrow is the UK’s largest air-cargo airport and a critical node for time-sensitive, high-value and international shipments. A later runway opening would extend the period in which airlines, freight forwarders and shippers must manage existing capacity limits before additional runway availability can be delivered.

The operational response may include greater use of alternative airports, charter planning and more advanced inventory decisions. Companies relying on Heathrow within European or intercontinental supply chains could also face a longer wait for any increase in belly-hold capacity or dedicated freighter services.

Planning remains the key variable

The Government’s consultation on a draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement closed on 1 September 2026. Parliamentary scrutiny is continuing, and ministers are expected to assess consultation feedback and committee recommendations before announcing the next steps.

The 2039 date is therefore a potential revised timetable, not a confirmed opening date. Its significance extends beyond airport infrastructure: the project will influence UK connectivity, competition between airports and the resilience of freight flows through the country’s main international hub. Further reporting is available from BBC News.