Gatwick Airport shows grit on new runway

The boss of Gatwick today insisted that they were ready to pull their plans for a second runway “off the bookshelf and get on with it” as he unveiled record first-half passenger numbers.

The airport’s chief executive Stewart Wingate admitted the £8 billion expansion plan was unlikely to go ahead without government backing but claimed that the decision by the Prime Minister, Theresa May, to favour Heathrow for new capacity was “certainly not the end of the story”.

Gatwick revealed passenger numbers grew by 6.3% to 25 million in the six months to end-September.

By the end of the year it is estimated that 43.5 million passengers will have passed through Gatwick in 2016.

Revenue was up 8.1% at £445.2 million and pre-tax profit fell 13% to £116 million because of one-off costs.

Gatwick plans to invest £250 million to expand and update the airport in the next financial year.