Should the UK expand regional airports before building a third runway at Heathrow?
The UK government is advancing plans for a third runway at Heathrow with a new national policy consultation launched in June 2026, targeting potential operation by 2035-2039. Multiple regional airports including Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol and others are simultaneously progressing their own expansion masterplans and investments. Heathrow expansion is projected to add significant international capacity while critics argue it would centralise growth in the southeast at the expense of regions.
7 Opinions
I voted no- but that doesn’t mean we should e develop regional airports. We should be doing both, particularly if the third runway at Heathrow is going to be aimed at getting regional feeder flights from the round the UK into Heathrow acting as a hub. In Belfast, Ronaldsway, Scottish Islands, Channel Islands the airports are *vital* infrastructure.
The balance should shift to regional airports and better interconnectivity between the regions and the capital, at the minute we have a surplus in the south east and it's locked into that region due to poor networking. Something akin to the central belt in Scotland would be better for north England across the Hull - Liverpool axis of cities, through the west midlands , and across to SE, with branches to urban centres and university towns. It's not bad the way it is, unjoined
Heathrow is the UKs hub airport, and has huge competition from from the wannabe hubs in Europe - it should get the investment it needs. As for the regional airports, the clue is in the name: they are reliant on the hub but should also have investment to allow more traffic. Prioritising regional puts Heathrow's continued growth at risk, and if it starts to slide the regionals will go with it.
No reason to not do both. These are not mutually exclusive.
Reduced traffic at the major hubs and on the motorway network, increased employment and tourism. And with EV air vehicles on the cusp of reality... let's have small landing pads as well..
The economic benefits of another runway at Heathrow could be used to fund more regional airports. But first, the money must be earnt.