Heathrow Airport wants to invest 10 billion pounds, or 11,6 billion euros, to redesign terminals and improve punctuality using artificial intelligence.
The London airport has submitted an investment plan for this purpose to the British Aviation Authority.
10 million passengers extra
The project should eventually increase capacity by 12%, up to more than 70,000 m² extra. According to Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, that means 10 million additional passengers annually. Last year there were more than 83,9 million passengers.
“To compete with global hubs, we need to invest,” said top executive Thomas Woldbye. “For an average airport fee of 33,26 pounds, we will make room for 10 million additional passengers, boost cargo capacity by 20% and improve almost every part of the passenger’s journey.”
Part of the project includes the addition of more lounges, restaurants, and stores. It is also expected to lead to faster security checks and baggage handling.
However, the 17% increase in charges is meeting criticism, although Woldbye says that it is still lower in real terms than a decade ago.
International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, for example, said the proposed increase in charges was “excessive” and that the £10bn investment would ultimately be “paid for by passengers and airlines, raising serious concerns about affordability and value for money”.
Third runway
According to Woldbye, the United Kingdom needs an airport that matches its ambition. “Currently, Heathrow is not where we want to be in the global rankings,” he said. “To climb higher, investment is needed. Other countries have modernized their hubs, the UK has not – the risk of doing nothing is going backwards.”
The plans also have a green component. For example, the airport’s carbon emissions are to be reduced by 3 million tons, the CEO cites 100% renewable electricity, as well as soundproofing for 6,500 homes and 15 schools.
Heathrow is also working on a third runway. A separate application for its financing will be submitted to the government this summer.
Heathrow is almost complete in terms of air traffic and is being overtaken by airports such as Frankfurt, Schiphol, and Paris Charles De Gaulle in connectivity and capacity. A third runway could allow up to 260,000 additional flights a year.
But the expansion project is also facing criticism. More flights also mean more CO2 emissions, air pollution, and noise pollution, while the construction of the third runway would potentially require demolishing a significant portion of villages, such as Harmondsworth.
