HEATHROW’S third runway will be discreetly hidden inside a cliff face with palm trees that fold down when planes launch.
Following opposition from environmental groups, plans for the runway have been revised to include an artificial mountain and tropical theme.
A spokesman for the Airports Commission said: “Passengers, rather than going through the messy shuttle bus process, will simply stand against a wall, be flipped upside down onto specially-adapted baggage carousels and taken direct to their seats with a Mai Tai in their hand.
“The mountainside will then open up, the palm trees will fold to the side revealing a runway, and a bit at the end will lift up to provide a ramp, which most runways don’t have but we thought might come in useful.
“After a plane has taken off, the palm trees will go back and the cave close up until the next flight is ready to depart, approximately 120 seconds later.”
