ON JANUARY 10th 1946 Britain’s cabinet approved outline proposals for a third runway at Heathrow, London’s main international airport. When Heathrow’s first two runways opened at the start of that month, the airport was little more than a muddy airfield located 15 miles (24km) to the west of the city centre.

ON JANUARY 10th 1946 Britain’s cabinet approved outline proposals for a third runway at Heathrow, London’s main international airport. When Heathrow’s first two runways opened at the start of that month, the airport was little more than a muddy airfield located 15 miles (24km) to the west of the city centre.