Heathrow's third runway goes before Parliament as September passenger numbers slip 2.3%

Heathrow's third runway is now in front of Parliament, and the airport is pushing hard for a quick yes. In an October 12 release, Heathrow said Parliament is reviewing the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement, the planning framework that sets the rules for building the new runway. Chief executive Thomas Woldbye was due to give evidence to the Transport Select Committee later that week.

The same release carried Heathrow's September traffic numbers, and they were soft. Passenger numbers fell 2.3% from a year earlier, and Middle East traffic dropped by about a fifth.

Where expansion stands#

The policy statement is the key step. It sets out the case for the runway and the conditions it must meet. Heathrow says Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has recently confirmed that expansion fits with the UK's goal of net zero by 2050.

Heathrow's own case, as set out in the release:

• More than 100,000 jobs and 5,000 apprenticeships
• £33 billion of privately financed investment
• 50% more export cargo capacity
• About 400,000 tonnes of steel, which Heathrow says is roughly a sixth of yearly UK output, citing a government estimate
• More than 40 airlines seeking slots at the airport

The airport also pointed to support from unions including GMB, Unite and the TUC, business groups such as the CBI and the British Chambers of Commerce, and a poll of more than 9,000 residents in nine nearby boroughs in which 68% backed a third runway.

"The debate about whether the UK needs additional hub airport capacity has been settled," Woldbye said. "There is now a clear path forward."

The release gives no build start or opening date for the runway. Any new capacity is still many years away.

September traffic was down#

Measure	September 2026	Change	January to September	Change
Passengers	7.18 million	-2.3%	62.9 million	-0.6%
Flights	38,820	-3.4%	351,379	-1.9%
Cargo (tonnes)	131,326	+5.4%	1,193,657	+1.6%

About 1.4 million of September's passengers were connecting. Heathrow said Middle East passenger numbers fell 20.1% in the month. It also said 96% of passengers rated their experience good or excellent.

What this means for lounge users#

The runway vote will not change anything at the airport this winter. The 20.1% fall in Middle East passengers is the more immediate number, though Heathrow's release does not give a reason for it.

The bigger lounge changes at Heathrow are already planned and do not depend on the runway. British Airways is adding a new lounge in the Terminal 5 C gates and rebuilding its Arrivals lounge. American Express plans a Centurion Lounge in Terminal 5. In Terminal 5, Club Aspire is due to close in mid-November and come back as a larger No1 Lounge.

If the runway goes ahead, the airport will need more terminal space too, and that is where future lounges would go. But the release does not describe any terminal plans, so it is too early to say what that will look like.

My take#

I think the runway will happen, but slowly, and none of it changes how you use Heathrow this winter. The traffic dip is worth watching. If passenger numbers keep falling, Heathrow's lounges may feel a little calmer, which would be a nice change.

Related reading#

• Heathrow T5's Club Aspire stays open until Nov. 15 before it becomes a bigger No1 Lounge
• British Airways plans a big new Heathrow lounge in T5's C Gates and a rebuilt Arrivals lounge

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