Arora Group chairman Surinder Arora has an alternative, cheaper plan for Heathrow that would include a shorter runway. Getty Images
Arora Group chairman Surinder Arora has an alternative, cheaper plan for Heathrow that would include a shorter runway. Getty Images
Arora Group chairman Surinder Arora has an alternative, cheaper plan for Heathrow that would include a shorter runway. Getty Images
Arora Group chairman Surinder Arora has an alternative, cheaper plan for Heathrow that would include a shorter runway. Getty Images

Battle for Heathrow's future ignited by Indian-born businessman


Damien McElroy
  • English
  • Arabic

An Indian-born businessman is going up against Heathrow Airport in the battle to develop a third runaway and new terminals at the UK's main hub.

Plans submitted on Thursday mean Surinder Arora's £25bn plan could go head to head with Heathrow's own grander £33bn scheme to develop a longer runaway that goes under the M25 motorway.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander welcomed the new proposals as part of the government's plan to boost economic growth with large scale infrastructure projects.

To support the decade-long plan, the government is expected to announce an overhaul of the air traffic pathways to eliminate inefficiencies in stacking and flight path patterns.

Officials are reportedly ready to launch an Airspace Design Service to redraw corridors that allow the planes to queue for landing. The corridors were first outlined in the 1950s and there has been a more than 10 fold rise in traffic since that era.

Arora Group said its shorter runway length of 2.8km would deliver a “primary benefit” of avoiding the costly and disruptive need to divert the M25 motorway. It would also challenge the existing operator by constructing and running a new modernised terminal, Terminal Six, located west of the existing Terminal Five.

“Our Heathrow West proposal, which directly meets and supports the United Kingdom’s primary objective of unlocking economic growth at the UK’s only hub airport, with a strong commitment of doing so on-budget and on-time,” Mr Arora said. “The Arora Group has a proven track record of delivering.”

Heathrow Airport has countered with its own proposals and said its expansion would eventually amount to a £49bn investment plan that would see the runways, terminals and transport infrastructure undergoing an upgrade. “We are uniquely placed to do this for the country,” said chief executive Thomas Woldbye. “It is time to clear the way for take-off.”

Thomas Woldbye, the airport's chief executive. PA Photo.
Thomas Woldbye, the airport's chief executive. PA Photo.

Its plan promises to deliver an annual passenger footfall of 150m from 84m last year. It said its 3.5km runway would run to the north-west of the existing airport.

It said it would expand Terminal Five to two new arms to the west and north. It would also demolish terminals one and three and redesign three.

Ahead of an official review it offered to discuss with its airlines how a shorter runway would deliver the same benefits as its plan.

Arora has worked with leading engineer Bechtel for a cost estimate of under £25 billion and says its reduced land footprint will lessen disruption to local residents and businesses.

Arora says there would be 276,000 new flights annually to boost the daily traffic to 756,000 aircraft. Under its blueprint the new runway could be fully operational by 2035 and its new Terminal Six would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040.

Heathrow has suggested that, despite government promises of a revamped planning process, its rival would face judicial review and other time consuming legal hurdles. The government’s ambition of securing planning consent by 2029 and a new runway being operational within a decade is a key factor in the bidding process.

It has also joined with airlines outside its current customer pool like easyJet to suggest new providers would operate from Heathrow for the first time.

It has also said it will try to match its connections to UK destinations to that at Amsterdam, which it currently lags by ratio of 23:13.

Other promises include a 50 per cent increase in cargo capacity plus 30 plus new daily flight routes to add to the 230 destinations to over 85 countries.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Brief scores:

QPR 0

Watford 1

Capoue 45' 1

Jordan cabinet changes

In

  • Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
  • Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
  • Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
  • Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
  • Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
  • Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth

Out

  • Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
  • Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
  • Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
  • Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
  • Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
  • Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
  • Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
  • Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
  • Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
  • Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
  • Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
  • Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
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MATCH INFO

Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai

MATCH INFO

France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')

Italy 1
Bonucci (36')

Updated: August 01, 2025, 7:03 AM