Heathrow tables ‘shovel ready’ plans after rival bid submitted

HEATHROW’S senior management have submitted their proposal to oversee the hub’s long-awaited third runway expansion in a competitive tender process that will see it face off against a rival operator for the first time in the airport's history.

- ALI LYON

Airport officials confirmed they had lodged “shovel-ready” plans for a privately funded runway ahead of the Department for Transport’s Thursday deadline, which they said would enable flights to commence within a decade

Heathrow announced its submission just one day after another operator - headed by Arora Group hotel magnate Surinder Arora - disclosed it was putting forward a competing proposal to manage the huge project.