Gatwick considers second runway
Gatwick Airport is considering building a second runway to transform it into an international hub to rival Heathrow.
Despite its long-standing agreement not to construct another runway until 2019, the airport’s chief executive Stewart Wingate said it is looking at options to increase passenger numbers.
He reportedly told news agency Reuters that a second runway at Gatwick would have a lower environmental impact than a third runway at Heathrow and it would add significantly more capacity.
Global Infrastructure Partners, which bought Gatwick from BAA, owners of Heathrow, will evaluate the environmental, surface access and economic impacts of various runway options, according to Reuters.
Its findings will be submitted to the Airports Commission but no work on a new runway will begin before 2019. In a statement issued today, the airport said it remained committed to the 1979 legal agreement with West Sussex Country Council that prohibits it from building a second runway for the next seven years.
Gatwick currently handles 34m passengers a year but the airport is expecting numbers to rise 30% over the next 20 years. It saw a 2.4% increase last month when it handled an additional 80,000 passengers, however it still has 25% spare capacity.
Although traditionally seen as an airport for holiday flights, Gatwick has been increasing its scheduled traffic. Numbers last month were up by more than 7% on flights to Europe, and the airport has recently attracted new Asian carriers flying to Beijing, Seoul and Vietnam.
A commission chaired by former Financial Services Authority head Howard Davies to analyse ways to expand airport capacity in southeast England will report in the summer of 2015 after releasing an interim report next year. Other options mooted so far include a third runway at Heathrow or a totally new airport in the Thames Estuary.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025