London Gatwick receives approval for regular use of second runway

Unlike expansion proposals at Heathrow Airport—which would require construction outside existing boundaries—Gatwick’s project stays within its current footprint. This approach makes it less expensive and allows for faster completion. A government source indicated that planes could be taking off from Gatwick’s new full runway before the next general election, which is scheduled for 2029.

Wingate also emphasized that "planning conditions [must] enable us to realise the full benefits of the project and not impose unnecessary constraints that make it uneconomic to invest in."

Gatwick currently ranks as Europe’s busiest single-runway airport. Regular use of its northern strip is expected to increase capacity by more than 100,000 flights per year. The airport aims to handle 389,000 flights annually by the late 2030s—an increase of nearly 39% compared to today’s figure of about 280,000 flights—and potentially double annual passenger numbers from 40 million to 80 million.

The expansion will also include terminal upgrades and could allow more long-haul flights on its main runway while dedicating short-haul departures to the northern strip. This may position Gatwick as a stronger alternative for intercontinental airlines compared with slot-constrained Heathrow.