Arora Group releases updated Heathrow West proposal with phased third runway plan

UK developer Arora Group has released updated details of its Heathrow West third runway proposal, outlining a phased construction approach it claims would deliver increased capacity sooner and at lower cost than competing schemes, with a Development Consent Order application planned for November 2027.

According to Aviation Business News, the updated plan builds on a proposal submitted in 2025 that was rejected by the UK government. The revised scheme incorporates amendments following that rejection and has been developed with technical advisor Bechtel, with backing from IAG, Virgin Atlantic, IATA, Heathrow AOC and Swissport.

The proposal envisages an initial 2,400-metre runway operational by 2035, designed to avoid relocating the M25 motorway and other high-risk infrastructure, with provision to extend the runway in a subsequent phase. The scheme also includes a new Terminal 6 with a capacity of 40 million passengers annually, located to the west of Terminal 5 to minimise land use and preserve green belt.

Luis Gallego, chief executive of IAG, described the two-phase approach as a credible option with the potential to cap costs for passengers and deliver expansion benefits as soon as possible. Corneel Koster, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said the scheme should be considered by the UK government as a viable option, adding that any approach delivering affordable expansion was welcomed.

Outgoing IATA director-general Willie Walsh said Arora was the only party to engage seriously with the constraints of deliverability, financeability and affordability. "This is not theoretical planning; it is a scheme being built with real-world delivery in mind," he said.

Read the full proposal details and stakeholder responses in the full coverage.