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British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are opposing Heathrow Airport's £49 billion expansion plan, which includes a third runway, due to high operational costs and concerns about funding. They are Heathrow's largest airlines, with 8,996 and 850 scheduled flights in February 2026.

The UK government has approved the expansion, but challenges such as airspace modernization and regulatory hurdles persist. Heathrow reported a busy January with 6.5 million passengers and aims for a 5.6% increase in Sustainable Aviation Fuel by 2026. CEO Thomas Woldbye expressed skepticism about the third runway amidst various planning complexities.