AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
Gatwick Airport, currently operating with one main and one standby runway, aims to increase its capacity. A £2.2 billion privately financed project proposes moving the standby runway 12 meters north to meet safety regulations, enabling routine use for narrow-bodied plane departures. This would boost annual passenger capacity from 45 million to 75 million by the late 2030s. The plan also includes enhanced road connections and builds upon a recent £250 million railway station upgrade. The new runway could potentially open before 2029. While Heathrow also has expansion plans, Gatwick is focused on independently increasing its capacity.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
Here the PA news agency answers 14 key questions about the project.
– How many runways does Gatwick have?
It has one conventional runway, and one standby runway.
– What is the standby runway used for?
It 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 for it to be brought into routine use?
It must be moved 12 metres to the north – away from the main runway – to meet strict aviation safety rules.
– What else does the plan involve?
– How about transport?
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?
Departures of narrow-bodied planes such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
– What impact would that have on Gatwick’s capacity for flights?
– How about annual passenger numbers?
They could rise from about 45 million to 75 million by the late 2030s.
– How much will the project cost?
Gatwick says the plan will cost £2.2 billion.
– Who will pay for it?
The airport says the project will be privately financed. It has pledged to meet the cost without hiking charges to airlines.
– When could the new runway open?
A Government source suggested flights could take off from the new full runway before 2029.
– Who owns Gatwick Airport?
French company Vinci and investment fund Global Infrastructure Partners.
– Does Heathrow’s third runway proposal affect Gatwick?
But it is likely to be many years before construction on a third runway at the west London airport begins, and Gatwick is determined to boost its own capacity.
