Heathrow Expansion: 40 Airlines Queue for Slots as Pressure Builds
More than 40 airlines are seeking access to Heathrow slots as political and financial pressure over the airport's £49 billion expansion grows.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
More than 40 airlines are seeking access to slots at London Heathrow (LHR), the airport confirmed on 12 October 2026, as the debate over Heathrow expansion and a potential third runway reaches a critical point in parliament.
The announcement comes as Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye prepares to give evidence to the Transport Select Committee, which is currently reviewing the Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS). At the same time, British Airways is calling on the government to consider taking a financial stake in the airport to contain the cost of a project priced at £49 billion.
What the Slot Demand Tells Us About Heathrow Expansion
AeroTime reports that Heathrow says demand for access continues to exceed available capacity, forcing airlines to "choose competing hubs overseas" and "taking connectivity, trade and growth opportunities away from the UK."
A spokesperson for the airport told AeroTime that airports across the UK, including Aberdeen, Belfast City, Cornwall Newquay, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle and Teesside, want Heathrow to expand at pace to improve connectivity and enable growth.
Over the past 12 months, more than 84 million passengers have used Heathrow, underlining how constrained the existing two-runway operation already is.
What Heathrow Is Arguing
Heathrow argues that expansion would create space for new airlines and new routes, increase competition and drive down fares for consumers. The airport says a growing coalition of politicians, trade unions, businesses, workers, regional airports and airlines now back the project.
Polling cited by the airport shows 68% of local people support progressing the expansion, according to AeroTime.
Woldbye said: "This is not simply an investment in an airport. It is an investment in the UK's future competitiveness." He added: "The private investment is available, the benefits are well understood, and the Government has confirmed expansion can be delivered within net zero targets. After decades of discussion, Parliament now has the opportunity to unlock a project that can deliver lasting benefits for generations to come."
The Political Obstacle
The political picture remains complicated. Aviation A2Z reports that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has not firmly endorsed the third runway, describing expansion at the Labour conference in Liverpool as a contested issue and stressing that the views of people living in London should receive serious consideration.
In a separate interview in September 2026, the Prime Minister appeared to refuse to back a third runway at Heathrow, AeroTime notes. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has also been a long-term critic of further expansion.
Burnham's position creates uncertainty for a project that requires both political support and a credible funding structure.
British Airways and the Funding Row
Aviation A2Z reports that Luis Gallego, chief executive of International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, is urging the government to explore an ownership stake in Heathrow as a way to make the planned expansion more affordable.
Airlines have raised concerns that the £49 billion programme, which includes a third runway, additional terminal capacity and supporting infrastructure, will significantly increase airport charges. Fees paid by passengers could rise from approximately £26 to £65 under the proposed charging model, according to figures cited by Aviation A2Z.
Gallego has argued that reducing the overall project cost should be the priority, and that a larger airport could attract more passengers and generate revenue that would not be available without extra capacity.
The Delay Risk
The third runway's proposed opening date has reportedly moved back by four years to 2039, after the earlier timetable was criticised as unrealistic, Aviation A2Z reports. That delay adds pressure on the government to clarify its position on the airport's long-term capacity.
Heathrow has been in private ownership since 1987. Its current investors include Ardian, Qatar Investment Authority, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Singapore's GIC, Australian Retirement Trust and China Investment Corporation.
A survey of 2,000 respondents, commissioned by British Airways and conducted by JL Partners, found relatively strong support for the third runway among those surveyed, along with a preference for existing shareholders to carry the bulk of the financial responsibility rather than passengers or taxpayers. Because British Airways commissioned the survey, its results should be considered in that context.
September 2026 Passenger Figures
Heathrow welcomed almost 7.2 million passengers in September 2026, a 2.3% drop from the same month in 2025, according to AeroTime. Travel to the Middle East fell by 20%, while flights to and from Asia-Pacific increased.
Cargo volumes grew 5% year-on-year in September, underlining Heathrow's role as the UK's largest port by value. The airport noted that almost 1.4 million of September's passengers were transfer passengers, whose use of the hub makes additional destinations commercially viable for UK travellers and businesses.
You can explore airlines operating at Heathrow using our Airline Search tool.
The Bottom Line
Heathrow expansion is now firmly a parliamentary matter, with the HENPS review under way and the CEO set to give evidence to MPs this week. The core tension is clear: demand for access is growing, capacity is fixed, and the cost of fixing it is politically and financially contested.
Whether the government takes a stake, whether charges rise sharply, and whether 2039 holds as a target date are the three questions that will define the project's next phase. Woldbye's committee appearance is the immediate moment to watch.
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