Poll finds majority of London businesses back Heathrow and London airport expansion
Friday 1 August
A poll of over 500 London businesses by Savanta and the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) found that 3 in 5 business welcome plans to expand London airports, such as those unveiled today by Heathrow, because they believe it will deliver economic growth for both London and the wider UK.
As a global city, London’s transport network drives the businesses, tourism and trade that makes London attractive and competitive. London’s airports play a critical role in unlocking the city’s growth, and are the cornerstone of job creation, investment and economic expansion. Heathrow’s third runway, Gatwick’s plans to extend the operations of its northern runway, Luton’s new terminal building, and Stanstead’s terminal expansion plans are critical to realising this ambition.
According to data from LCCI, three in five London businesses believe that expanding London airports will improve both economic prospects for London and UK economic growth, revealing the strong confidence amongst London’s business community in the positive impact of these plans. Only 14% felt airport expansion would worsen London’s growth prospects and 12% those of the wider UK, with remaining respondents being neutral on the subject.
The same data shows how businesses are using London airports, with the primary reasons being client engagement (29%), facilitating overseas operations (22%), and transporting goods or services (20%). The numbers show the importance of global trade and connectivity for London businesses, and the critical role that London airports play in unlocking this.
LCCI CEO Karim Fatehi OBE said: “Investment in London’s airports is critical to delivering long term economic growth across the country. It's vital that we have the right infrastructure in place to remain globally competitive so we can secure investment, strengthen supply chains and create new jobs. We welcome Heathrow’s ambitious expansion plans and the Government’s continued support for the growth of London's airports."
Note on polling
Savanta interviewed 506 London business leaders online between 17th April 2025 – 22nd May 2025. Data was weighted to be representative of all London business leaders by size and broad industry sector. Savanta is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.