A new proposal for a phased third runway at Heathrow Airport has attracted endorsements from major airlines and aviation bodies in opposition to the airport’s own plan.

Backed by the Arora Group and promoted by Heathrow West Limited (HWL), the new proposal for a two-phase approach has also set out a timetable to seek planning consent.

was submitted in August last year and saw detailed proposals to increase its passenger capacity by 50%, to accommodate up to 150M travellers annually and support 756,000 flights.

This expansion blueprint includes a 3,500m north-western runway with existing parliamentary backing, a brand-new terminal dubbed “T5X”, three additional satellite terminals and substantial upgrades to the current facilities.

Heathrow plans to invest £21bn in the new runway and associated airfield infrastructure, £12bn on terminal expansion and £15bn on modernising existing terminals alongside the longer-term closure of Terminal 3.

The government threw its support behind this plan and committed to

.

The announcement came shortly after

(DfT).

There has been friction between the two parties since Arora Group revealed its alternative plan in 2017.

Late last year, the DfT announced it had received proposals from seven organisations for Heathrow’s planned expansion which had been jointly considered by officials from the department and the Treasury.

Five were assessed as not suitable to inform the ANPS review, leaving the scheme promoted by the Arora Group and HWL and the scheme promoted by Heathrow Airport Limited as proposals that remain under active consideration.

HWL said its new proposal would deliver a two‑phase approach to a western runway alongside a new western terminal, with the first phase, a 2,400m runway, opening by 2035.

The scheme was designed by Bechtel and other technical advisers.

HWL argued the shorter initial runway avoids moving the M25 and other high‑risk infrastructure works required for a full‑length 3,500m runway. This would allow capacity at the airport to increase sooner and at lower cost.

Under the outline, the initial runway would be designed to be extended at a later date while continuing to operate with “minimal impacts” during any subsequent construction.

The proposed Terminal 6, to the west of Terminal 5, is intended to serve up to 40M passengers a year, while seeking to limit land take and preserve Green Belt.

HWL says the plan builds on an earlier 2025 submission from the Arora Group and has been revised to align with government objections at that time to relocating the runway further east.

The company intends to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application in November 2027 and has pledged a pre‑application consultation with residents, businesses and other stakeholders.

IAG, Virgin Atlantic, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Heathrow airline operators’ group (AOC) and ground handler Swissport have publicly supported the proposal, HWL said.

With competition emerging between different visions for Heathrow’s third runway, HWL is urging the government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to set up a formal, rules‑based framework to assess rival schemes.

HWL stated it wants:

Arora Group founder and chairman Surinder Arora said: “We have committed significant time and resource to producing our latest plans to ensure that they are highly credible, in line with the government’s objectives and offering better value to airlines and passengers.

“We will continue to engage fully with airlines and other stakeholders as we prepare to submit for planning.”

IAG chief executive Luis Gallego said: “The two-phase approach proposed by Heathrow West is a credible option, with the potential to cap costs for passengers and deliver the benefits of expansion as soon as possible for the UK.

“We think it is worth further development and should be carefully considered by the UK Government.”

Virgin Atlantic chief executive Corneel Koster said: “The Heathrow West third runway scheme is credible and should be considered by UK Government as a viable option in the ANPS.

“Any approach that delivers affordable expansion, to the benefit of consumers, the UK aviation sector and UK economy, is welcomed.”

International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Willie Walsh said: “The industry has been clear: Heathrow expansion must be deliverable, financeable, and affordable.

“Arora is the only party to engage seriously with those constraints in a practical way. This is not theoretical planning; it is a scheme being built with real-world delivery in mind.”

Walsh added: “With competing proposals now in play, this is unequivocally a competitive process. It is essential that government and the CAA move swiftly to establish a formal, rules-based framework to govern how these schemes are developed and assessed.”

Yesterday, 18 May,

reported