Heathrow Airport's long-awaited third runway expansion faces a significant setback as the completion date shifts to 2039. Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves' ambitious £49 billion infrastructure investment plan has been reassessed by officials who concluded the timeline was unachievable. This delay impacts UK aviation capacity, economic growth projections, and competition with European hub airports. Industry stakeholders express concerns about the prolonged construction schedule and its implications for Britain's post-Brexit connectivity strategy.

Summary auto-generated by AI from the original publisher's content. Editorial standards.