- Heathrow can recover £320 million in early third runway planning costs.
- Airport charges could add 15p to tickets from 2028, rising to 30p in later years.
- Airlines have warned the move could make Heathrow even more expensive.
Heathrow passengers could soon start paying towards the airport's long-awaited third runway, even though construction has yet to begin.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved Heathrow Airport's request to recover up to £320 million spent on planning and designing the expansion project during 2025 and 2026. The money will be collected through higher airport charges paid by airlines, costs that are typically passed on to passengers through air fares.
The regulator estimates the decision will increase the maximum airport charge by around 15p per passenger in 2028, rising to about 30p in the following years.
The approved costs relate only to the early stages of the project, including planning, design work and preparations for a future planning application. They do not include the cost of building the proposed £33 billion third runway, meaning the overall impact on ticket prices is still unknown.
The CAA said the decision aims to balance Heathrow's need to progress with expansion while protecting passengers from unnecessary costs. Tim Johnson, the regulator's director of consumers and markets, reportedly said the recoverable costs are capped, independently scrutinised and subject to efficiency reviews to ensure passengers pay only for justified spending.
The regulator has also approved the recovery of £4.1 million spent by Heathrow West, the rival expansion proposal led by the Arora Group, before the government selected Heathrow Airport's own plan as its preferred option in November.
A decades-long project still faces hurdles
Although the government has backed Heathrow's £33 billion expansion proposal, the project remains years away from construction. Ministers hope to reach a planning decision by 2029, while the government has said it wants the runway built by 2035.
Heathrow reportedly said the expansion would make travel more affordable, offer passengers greater choice and deliver economic benefits across the UK. The airport added that it is reviewing the regulator's proposals before making investment decisions.
Not everyone is convinced.
Airlines have repeatedly argued that Heathrow is already one of the world's most expensive hub airports. British Airways, Heathrow's largest airline, reportedly warned that allowing the airport to recover costs at such an early stage risks making expansion unaffordable for consumers and weakening the economic case for the project.
Environmental groups, local residents and some politicians continue to oppose the third runway, arguing it could increase aircraft noise, worsen air pollution and make it harder for the UK to meet its climate commitments.
The CAA's decision covers only the first phase of planning costs. A separate process will determine how Heathrow can recover costs incurred from 2027 onwards, meaning passengers could face further charges as the expansion project moves forward.
