London's Heathrow airport on Friday said the building of a third runway at Europe's busiest hub would be delayed by at least two years for legal reasons and the coronavirus outbreak.
"Expanding Heathrow remains a key plank of our long-term strategy once we have beaten COVID-19 and entered the recovery phase," it said in its latest result report.
"However, given the current COVID-19 crisis and the ongoing appeals process, we expect expansion and related capital investment to be delayed by at least two years."
The government gave the green light for Heathrow to expand in 2018 after years of delays, with building of the third runway expected to start in 2022 and take four years.
But environmental campaigners in February won a court case arguing that the government had failed to take into account its own climate change commitments in the decision.
Heathrow airport -- which is owned by a consortium led by Spanish construction giant Ferrovial -- has appealed the ruling.
