The public enquiry to establish the need for a fifth terminal at Heathrow Airport concluded with UK government approval for the project. Work is unlikely to begin on the site until 2004. Analysts say that means the GBP£2.5 billion (USD$3.19bn) terminal could not open its first phase until 2007 and will not be fully operational before 2015.

Schiphol Airport at Amsterdam, Frankfurt Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris are working actively to seize the position as Europe's primary hub.