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Heathrow third runway may slip to 2039, delaying air-cargo capacity increase
Heathrow Airport has warned the UK government that its proposed third runway may not be operational until 2039, four years later than the 2035 target.
According to reports published on Saturday 26 September, Heathrow Airport has told ministers that meeting the 2035 deadline for a third runway is not achievable under the existing planning and regulatory timetable. The proposed expansion is based on Heathrow Airport Limited's north-west runway scheme, which the government confirmed in November 2025 would form the basis of the project.
The Department for Transport said the target had "always been ambitious" and that it would continue working with stakeholders. The government's consultation on a draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement closed on 1 September 2026, and parliamentary scrutiny is continuing. Ministers are expected to consider consultation responses and committee recommendations before setting out next steps.
For logistics operators, the warning could extend the period in which Heathrow's existing runway capacity remains constrained. Heathrow is the UK's largest air-cargo airport and an important hub for time-sensitive, high-value and international freight. Airlines, forwarders and shippers may need to plan around current capacity limits for longer, with possible effects on routing, charter capacity, airport diversification and inventory planning.
Additional runway capacity is intended to strengthen passenger and freight links, but businesses using Heathrow in European or intercontinental supply chains could face a longer wait for any increase in belly-hold and dedicated cargo capacity. Until the planning process advances, 2039 remains a potential revised timetable rather than a formally confirmed opening date.
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