EasyJet Backs Heathrow Expansion, Gatwick Second Runway

EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis has expressed interest in expanding operations to London Heathrow Airport, saying the construction of a third runway would allow the LCC to operate from the UK’s largest gateway “at scale.”

Jarvis welcomed reports that UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves supports Heathrow's long-awaited expansion, noting that the airport's current slot constraints have previously limited easyJet's access.

“[Heathrow] fits with our primary airport strategy and is probably the white spot we have in terms of primary airports throughout Europe,” Jarvis said. “If a new runway come comes along, that gives us a chance to look at what a scale move might look like—and that's what we'd be interested in.”

He added that passengers would benefit from lower fares at an airport currently dominated by flag carriers. British Airways accounts for about 46% of capacity at present, followed by Virgin Atlantic (6.5%), American Airlines (3.9%), United Airlines (2.6%) and Lufthansa (2.4%). However, Jarvis cautioned that these were still “very early days.”

The proposal for a third runway at Heathrow has been a subject of debate for decades. Initially approved by the UK government in 2009, the project has faced numerous legal and environmental hurdles.

In February 2020, the Court of Appeal deemed the plans unlawful, citing non-compliance with the Paris Agreement on climate change. However, in December 2020, the UK Supreme Court overturned this ruling, giving the green light for the project to move forward.

Despite this legal victory, progress was further delayed as the COVID-19 pandemic put the plans on hold. In July 2024, Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye also admitted that the third runway was still more than a decade away, at best.

However, it is understood that Reeves is prepared to support a third runway at Heathrow as part of the government’s broader strategy to drive economic growth. Alongside backing Heathrow’s expansion, the government is also expected to green light the construction of a second runway at London Gatwick and approve plans to increase capacity at London Luton.

Jarvis also reiterated his support for a second full-time runway at Gatwick Airport, where easyJet is already the largest carrier, holding a 35.2% share of all departure seats in January 2025, according to OAG Schedules Analyser data.

“Gatwick is Europe’s busiest single-runway airport, and because of that, it can sometimes be challenging from a resilience perspective,” Jarvis said. “The customer experience does need improving, and we do support the building of a second runway.”

He stressed that the second runway should initially be used to bolster the airport’s resilience rather than add capacity. He also encouraged the government to accelerate airspace modernization efforts, which he sees as a limiting factor for Gatwick’s operations.