Fully utilising North Runway will help Gatwick meet growing demand

London Gatwick today repeated its call for its North Runway to lose it back-up status and be used on a regular basis, claiming the move would allow it to accommodate more flights and generate an extra £1 billion a year for the UK economy.

Citing China as a potential area of growth, the airport notes that it reported a 265% rise in passenger volumes to and from China in 2024, but believes that it could do even better with the extra capacity provided by a fully utilised North Runway.

Stressing the potential for growth, the airport reveals that some 550,000 passengers travelled to China in 2024, up from more than 150,000 in 2023.

It notes that China’s three largest carriers already fly from London Gatwick, with 33 services a week to China, with Air China, China Southern and China Eastern flying to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou.

More destinations to China and elsewhere could follow, it states, if plans to bring its Northern Runway, currently a backup, into routine use are approved by the government next month.

According to the airport, the Northern Runway project represents a £2.2 billion shovel-ready privately financed investment which could be operational by the end of the decade.

It believes that the plans will create a further 14,000 jobs and generate £1 billion in economic benefits every year.

Gatwick’s chief commercial officer, Jonathan Pollard, said: “China accounts for 5.1% of total UK trade and is the UK’s fifth largest trading partner in 2024.

“As demonstrated by the Chancellor’s recent visit to China, this market is vitally important to the UK economy in terms of both inbound visitors and trade and we are pleased to offer significant connectivity between the two nations from London Gatwick.

“We have seen huge demand for growth of these routes, from airlines and passengers.

“If approved, our Northern Runway plans could provide even greater opportunity to support communities the economy and the Government’s wider plans for growth, through enhanced capacity for vital long-haul services.”