Hotels & Accommodations
Hotel tycoon reveals Heathrow runway expansion proposal
BBC London Political Editor
Hotel tycoon Surinder Arora has announced he is submitting a Heathrow expansion plan which rivals a proposal from the airport’s owners.
The billionaire’s Arora Group said the “primary benefit” of the plan it submitted to the government was a shorter new runway which would avoid the costly and disruptive need to divert the M25 motorway.
Building a 2,800-metre third runway instead of the full-length 3,500-metre runway planned by the airport would result in “reduced risk” and avoid “spiralling cost”, the company said.
The airport declined to comment on the Arora Group’s proposal.
A shorter runway could have limits on its use, although Arora Group insisted it would be able to accommodate aircraft of all sizes.
The announcement means that for the first time, there will be two bids on the table to build a third runway at Heathrow.
Arora Group said its plan, called Heathrow West, could have a new runway fully operational by 2035, while a new terminal would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040.
The plan, developed with infrastructure company Bechtel, has a cost estimate of under £25 billion, not including the redevelopment of the airport’s existing central area.
Heathrow said in 2018 it could complete its runway for £14 billion, but it is now expected to cost billions more.
In June, the government invited competing proposals for Heathrow’s expansion and set a deadline of 31 July.
Mr Arora, who is one of the largest landowners at Heathrow, said: “After a decade working with our world-leading design and delivery team, I am very proud that the Arora Group can finally unveil to the UK government our Heathrow West proposal.
“The Arora Group has a proven track record of delivering on-time and on-budget projects including in and around Heathrow airport.
“We are delighted that the government has taken a common-sense approach to invite proposals from all interested parties for the very first time rather than granting exclusivity to the current airport operator, no matter its track record.”
Mr Arora has repeatedly accused the airport of wasting money.
Carlton Brown, CEO of Heathrow West, said the new company would be able to dedicate time and focus to the expansion while working with stakeholders including airlines, communities and business.
“Ultimately, I want to see Heathrow help Britain become the best-connected nation in the world and facilitate the trade and inward investment our UK economy needs,” he said.
In December 2024, French company Ardian completed a deal to become Heathrow’s largest shareholder with a 23% stake, while Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund purchased a 15% share.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave her backing for a third runway in a speech on growth in January.
Heathrow will submit its own expansion plan to the government on Thursday.
It had planned to create a third runway by rerouting the M25 motorway between junctions 14 and 15 through a tunnel under the new runway.
After receiving the proposals, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision-making on any Development Consent Order application.
Heathrow is understood to be open to a discussion with airlines about building a shorter runway if it can deliver the same benefits.
If expanded, the number of flights at Heathrow Airport could go up to 720,000 – or nearly 2,000 a day on average. They are currently capped at 480,000 a year.
Heathrow told the BBC that it would eventually be able to serve up to 140 million passengers a year once a third runway is in operation.
Paul McGuinness, chair of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said they were concerned that thousands of people would have to be rehomed for the plans to move forward.
He added: “There’s a real danger that we’ll end up with a hole in the ground and a debt pile for taxpayers to underwrite, because the government had foolishly encouraged Heathrow’s profligate self-interest, as if blind to the lessons of HS2.”
In the past, the cost, the Covid pandemic and legal challenges have all got in the way of any development.
A third runway was first proposed in 2009 by Gordon Brown’s Labour government but was only finally given the go-ahead by the Supreme Court in 2020.
‘Growth is important’
The last bid sunk was partly by a legal challenge from five local councils and the Mayor of London.
Several members of the current government – including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer – voted against a Heathrow expansion when in opposition.
But Sir Keir told the BBC that the government has climate commitments, “but growth is really important too”.
Asked in January this year, when the government announced that it was in favour of a third runway, London’s mayor Sir Sadiq Khan refused to rule out joining any future legal challenge to expansion.
Hotels & Accommodations
Hospitality & Hotel Business Stock Price Jumps to Record High After 146% Revenue Jump and 235% Profit Growth in Q1FY26
On a year-to-date basis, the stock has risen by 0.66 per cent, while the three-month return stands at 24.81 per cent.
Chalet Hotels Limited witnessed a sharp rally in its share price on August 1, 2025, following the release of its robust Q1FY26 financial results. The stock surged nearly 19 per cent during early trade, touching an all-time high of Rs 1,082. This marked the company’s highest intraday gain in the past two months. By 10:57 am IST, the share price was trading at Rs 978.85, up 7.58 per cent.
The significant stock price movement was supported by Chalet Hotels’ strong operational performance in the June 2025 quarter. The company reported a 146 per cent year-on-year rise in total revenue to Rs 908.3 crore. Profit After Tax (PAT) jumped 235 per cent to Rs 203.1 crore, while EBITDA increased 150 per cent to Rs 371.1 crore.
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Core business revenue (excluding residential operations) stood at Rs 470 crore, up 27 per cent year-on-year. Core EBITDA grew 37 per cent to Rs 210 crore, with margins expanding to 44.4 per cent. The company also achieved a 7 per cent increase in room inventory, driven by its expansion strategy. Chalet handed over 95 flats at its residential project in Koramangala, Bengaluru, further boosting revenue.
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In the hospitality segment, despite a decline in occupancy from 70 per cent to 66 per cent, the Average Room Rate (ARR) increased by 17 per cent to Rs 12,207. Revenue from this segment rose by 18 per cent to Rs 385.6 crore, with EBITDA rising 20 per cent to Rs 160.8 crore. RevPAR stood at Rs 8,059, up 10 per cent.
The rental and annuity segment posted strong growth, with revenue rising 106 per cent to Rs 73.2 crore and EBITDA jumping 130 per cent to Rs 60.8 crore. EBITDA margins improved significantly to 83.1 per cent.
The residential segment reported revenue of Rs 439.1 crore and EBITDA of Rs 162.8 crore, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 37.1 per cent.
The company was also recognised as a Great Place To Work® in India for the sixth consecutive time. However, a one-time reversal of deferred tax assets worth Rs 202.17 crore in Q2FY25, due to changes introduced by the Finance (No. 2) Act, 2024, had previously impacted the company’s profitability.
Despite being a Mid-Cap hospitality stock, Chalet Hotels has demonstrated consistent Quarterly Results and may attract attention from investors looking for long-term compounding or potential multibagger opportunities in the travel and real estate segments.
On a year-to-date basis, the stock has risen by 0.66 per cent, while the three-month return stands at 24.81 per cent.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purposes only and not investment advice.
Hong Kong only received HK$189 million (US$24.1 million) in the first quarter under a reintroduced hotel accommodation tax, authorities have revealed, prompting some tourism industry leaders to raise concerns about whether the government can meet its HK$1.1 billion annual income target.
Sector veterans also called for more government support measures, telling the Post that the tax figures reflected that hotels were struggling and had been forced to reduce their prices to attract tourists.
The 3 per cent tax, which applies to all patrons, was reintroduced on January 1.
The government announced the policy’s return last year and said the measure was expected to bring in HK$1.1 billion each year. The tax was previously waived in 2008.
But in a reply to the Post in June, the Inland Revenue Department said the government had garnered HK$189 million under the tax in the first quarter of this year, while payments for the second quarter were not yet due at the time of its reply.
“We aim to meet the government’s tax target, but we are concerned we might not be able to meet the target,” said Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners.
A dramatic scene unfolded at a hotel in Bhubaneswar‘s Infocity area when a woman employee allegedly went on a rampage, damaging property and attacking fellow staff members.
According to sources, the woman allegedly created a ruckus inside the hotel, assaulting people and breaking everything within her reach. From flower pots and computers to glass cupboards, she reportedly smashed several items using an iron rod. The incident has shocked hotel staff and guests alike.
The entire episode took place in a hotel under the jurisdiction of the Infocity police station. Following the incident, a case has been registered at the Infocity police station, and an investigation is currently underway.
While the motive behind the woman’s actions remains unclear, efforts are on to ascertain the full sequence of events. Police are examining CCTV footage and questioning witnesses to determine the cause of the outburst.
As per the allegation of the hotel manager, the woman employee was irregular in her duties and not maintaining workplace ethics. She was even accused of misbehaving with the customers.
When she was served a notice to resign from the job, in a fit of rage, she went berserk and started damaging the hotel property. The woman employee even threatened to shut the hotel if she was terminated, the manager alleged.
As of now, the woman’s statement has not been recorded, and her response to the incident is yet to be received.
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