In November 2019 Southampton Airport submitted a planning application to Eastleigh Borough Council seeking permission for a 164-metre extension to the northern end of our runway. It’s a short extension that remains fully within our current boundaries, but it is absolutely critical to our viability as a regional airport.

Following the collapse of Flybe – which provided 89% of our passengers – and the damaging impact of the pandemic, the future of Southampton Airport is in doubt. The airport’s runway length is no longer suitable for today’s modern airline fleets, and so there is an urgent and pressing need to attract new airlines to the airport.

But to attract new airlines, we need the runway extension.

Extending the runway by just 164 metres will make the airport economically viable for a wider range of airlines – guaranteeing our viability, safeguarding regional connectivity, and protecting thousands of jobs across the South linked to our operations.

We are very proud of the airport’s crucial role in the South’s economy – and we’re confident that our runway extension can play an essential role in the post-Coronavirus recovery by opening up new routes to destinations across Europe.

We provide vital transport connections, linking our region to the rest of the UK and western Europe, and giving local businesses, large and small, opportunities to grow and expand. The value of this regional connectivity is measured in the thousands of jobs and livelihoods which directly depend on our operations.

Whether it’s a family holiday, a business trip, or a vital link to family and friends, we’re proud to be there for communities across the South.

As of May 2020, all of our CO2 emissions identified in our carbon footprint are offset.

We are amongst the very first airports in the UK to offset all of our CO2 emissions, making this a tremendous achievement not just for the airport but Eastleigh, and regional transport.

We have reduced our carbon emissions by nearly 80% since 2015.

As well as our own emissions, we have offset those created by passengers and staff journeying to and from the airport, from the landing and take-off cycle to third-party emissions generated on site.

We will continue to work with Eastleigh Borough Council to reduce our emissions and achieve Net Zero.

Flying regionally reduces carbon emissions, producing less CO₂ and easing road congestion compared with travelling to larger hub airports to fly. Our calculations show that a passenger flying to Bordeaux from a Southampton postcode would generate 20% less CO₂ than flying from Gatwick, and nearly 30% less than driving to Bordeaux.

For more information, please read our Carbon Neutral newsletter.

AGS Airports is fully engaged with the Jet Zero Council and sits on the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Delivery Group. At Southampton Airport, we are committed to the UK Aviation Net Zero Action Plan, which sets out the deliverable roadmap for the UK aviation industry to reach Net Zero. Read more about the Action Plan below:

UK Aviation Net Zero Action Plan

Extending the runway by just 164 metres will make the airport economically viable for a wider range of airlines – guaranteeing our viability, safeguarding regional connectivity, and protecting thousands of jobs across the South linked to our operations. For further information, please visit our why we need the runway extension section.

For more information, read our October Update Newsletter.

As a responsible neighbour, the quality of life and wellbeing of our communities matters to Southampton Airport. As we progress our runway extension application, we will be taking the following steps to address aircraft noise:

- A Noise Insulation Scheme:Launched in early 2020, households are now able to apply for financial assistance towards noise insulation

- Noise limits: We place strict limits on noisier aircraft – aircraft operating at Southampton must conform to the latest regulations. Aircraft are becoming quieter all the time as technology improves; new aircraft using Southampton will use new technology.

- Preferred routes and monitoring: All aircraft operating at the airport must use our Noise Preferred Routes (NPRs). We monitor compliance and hold airlines to account.

- Continued engagement: If you have a noise concern, we always want to hear from you.

Our plans will not lead to an expansion of the airport site. Southampton’s longer runway and expanded parking facilities will be fully contained within the current airport boundary.

No. There are no plans to change the airport’s flying hours and the runway extension will not lead to night flights. Our flying hours are subject to planning condition and must be limited to between:

Mon – Sat 06.00 to 23.00
Sun: 07.30 to 23.00

At Southampton Airport, we are passionate about delivering a greener, more sustainable future and committed to working with residents and local authorities to tackle the Climate Emergency. For further information on how we are reducing our carbon impact, as well as our recent achievement of Carbon Neutral status, please visit our carbon neutrality and sustainability section.

We support initiatives to take traffic off the road and improve air quality in the local area. For example, we have:

- Delivered a 120% increase in public transport use since 2010
- Increased coach and bus links
- Introduced an air quality monitoring programme
- Promoted rail-and-air ticketing
- Installed electric vehicle charging points

Alongside our runway extension, we will:

- Encourage passengers and business partners to use public transport safely
- Commit to a limit on road traffic vehicle movements
- Increase our carbon offsetting, including through tree-planting schemes

Our modelling shows that passenger numbers can grow to 3 million without significantly impacting on the road network. Our forecasts also show public transport growing to 31% by 2037.

If you would like to be kept up-to-date on our approved runway extension, please leave your details in the Register for Updates form below. 

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