The tunnels under Heathrow’s northern runway lead to the heart of the airport and the centre of a debate over its expansion. When airport managers proposed recladding them in 2011, the projected cost was £24mn. More than a decade later, the work is still not complete and the costs have ballooned to over £300mn.
Airlines argue this is symptomatic of an airport that is incentivised to spend lavishly, safe in the knowledge that it can recoup its outlay through higher charges on them and, indirectly, their customers.
As Heathrow embarks on a £33bn plan to build a new runway and terminal complex, they are locked in a battle to prevent their costs spiralling in the same way. “We are at war,” says the director of one major airline.
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