Finance
Ryanair boss sceptical about new Heathrow runway, plans major UK investment
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 29, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 29, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 27, 2026
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary is skeptical about Heathrow's new runway and plans to invest in UK airports with 100 new aircraft, focusing on other locations.
LONDON (Reuters) - Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said Britain should focus on adding capacity at airports other than London's Heathrow and lowering passenger taxes as he laid out plans to deploy an extra 100 aircraft in the UK in the next eight years.
British finance minister Rachel Reeves has just given the government's backing to a long-delayed new runway at Heathrow Airport as part of her plan to revitalise the country's sluggish economy.
O'Leary said on Wednesday he did not expect Heathrow's third runway to be built any time soon.
"You could grow today in Manchester or Birmingham. You could grow at Stansted," O'Leary told reporters in London.
"I don't personally think a third runway in Heathrow is likely. I suspect a second runway in Gatwick is more deliverable," he told reporters.
Ryanair is due to receive 300 new aircraft in the next eight years, and a third of those will go into Britain, which accounts for about 40% of its business.
The company plans major investment in other British airports along with the 100 aircraft.
O'Leary said the British government should focus on developing other airports in places like Bournemouth or Edinburgh and lowering passenger taxes if it wants to boost economic growth.
(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska; Writing by Conor Humphries and Sarah Young; Editing by William James and Jane Merriman)
Michael O'Leary expressed skepticism about the likelihood of a third runway at Heathrow being built anytime soon.
O'Leary suggested that the UK should focus on growing capacity at airports like Manchester, Birmingham, and Stansted.
Ryanair is set to receive 300 new aircraft over the next eight years, with a third of them allocated to the UK.
O'Leary recommends that the British government develop other airports and lower passenger taxes to stimulate economic growth.
The British finance minister has backed the long-delayed new runway at Heathrow as part of a plan to revitalize the sluggish economy.
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