Burnham Avoids Questions on Heathrow Third Runway as Delay Grows to Four Years

Plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport are again facing uncertainty after Prime Minister Andy Burnham declined to say whether he still supports the project, which is now expected to be delayed by as much as four years.

Airport officials confirmed over the weekend that Heathrow no longer expects to meet its original target of beginning operations in 2035. Instead, the airport says it now hopes to secure planning permission by 2029, with the runway potentially opening "within a decade" of that approval — meaning it may not be operational until 2039.

Burnham's refusal to publicly reaffirm his backing for the "contested" expansion has drawn criticism from both supporters and opponents of the project. Critics argue the latest delay strengthens the case against the runway altogether, describing the scheme as "even more dubious" given the extended timeline.

The third runway has been debated for years, with proponents citing economic benefits from increased flight capacity and opponents raising concerns over noise, environmental impact, and the cost of the expansion. The latest delay is likely to reinvigorate that debate as the government weighs its next steps.

It remains unclear what specific factors are behind the extended timeline, though large infrastructure projects of this scale often face delays tied to planning approvals, environmental assessments, and funding arrangements.

The government has not yet indicated when it will provide a definitive position on the project, leaving the future of the long-planned expansion in limbo for now.