Singapore’s Changi Airport backs Heathrow West in push to end expansion monopoly
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UK/SINGAPORE: The Arora Group’s “Heathrow West” plan aims to transform UK aviation with the help of Singapore’s Changi Airport.
Changi Airport joins forces with Arora in Heathrow expansion bid
Surinder Arora, the hotel magnate behind the ambitious Heathrow West project, has partnered with global aviation leader Changi Airport to strengthen his bid for Heathrow’s long-debated third runway. This partnership intends to test and defy Heathrow Airport Ltd’s enduring control over the UK’s foremost air travel hub.
Changi Airport, consistently ranked as the best airport in the world, is known for its outstanding passenger experiences; it features a butterfly garden, a rooftop swimming pool, and a 40-metre indoor waterfall. Now, the expertise that made Singapore’s aviation hub world-class is being applied to one of Britain’s key infrastructure projects.
According to the Arora Group, Changi Airport’s top officials conducted a peer review of the Heathrow West proposal. They found it to be cost-effective, least disruptive to the community, and environmentally friendly.
A leaner, smarter runway design promises huge cost savings
The core of Arora’s pitch is a different design approach. Heathrow West proposes a shorter 2,800-metre runway, which is much smaller than the 3,500-metre strip suggested by Heathrow Airport Ltd.
Arora clarifies that the shorter length will remove the necessity of rerouting the M25 thoroughfare, saving billions in construction overheads and lessening distraction and disturbance to adjacent communities.
The pitch, which also covers a partnership with engineering giant Bechtel, targets to make the UK’s only central airport more well-organised, effective, and inexpensive. “For too long, the UK’s only hub airport has not served our domestic passengers, business, and international users well,” said Carlton Brown, CEO of Heathrow West. “By working with proven global experts, Heathrow West can finally deliver the improvements needed to restore pride and foster growth.”
Support grows as Heathrow West challenges the status quo
The Arora Group submitted its proposal to the Department for Transport (DfT) in July and published the full details on its website this week. In addition to Changi Airport’s support, the plan also received backing from Dublin Airport, where Arora is currently developing its first hotel outside the UK.
Changi’s review concluded that the Heathrow West master plan finds the right balance. “Overall, HWL’s proposed master plan meets DfT’s strategic goals while keeping affordability and convenience for all airport users,” it stated.
With strong partners and a new approach to one of the UK’s biggest infrastructure challenges, Arora’s Heathrow West bid has opened the competition for the future of Britain’s air travel hub and could finally challenge the long-standing dominance of Heathrow Airport Ltd.