From Heathrow to the snows of Kilimanjaro: Airport pledges far-flung flights in third runway bid

Heathrow is planning to add new destinations in bid to secure another runway

Heathrow today promised direct links to more exotic and far-flung destinations as it entered a New Year battle to win backing for a third runway.

Its campaign has been largely business-focused as it seeks to beat Gatwick for government consent to expand.

But many of the routes, planned if another runway is built in west London, would also make it easier for Britons to visit more capitals, heritage sites and other tourist attractions.

By 2030, a direct flight would be put on at least once a week to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania.

Trekkers would then have to travel only a short distance to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain at 5,896 metres, or set off on safaris in several national parks.

Over in South America, at about half the height of Kilimanjaro, stands the Ecuadorian capital of Quito, which would also be served by a flight.

Its old town, with its architectural treasures, has been designated as a Unesco World Heritage site, while tower blocks rise up in the new parts of the sprawling city.

Elvis fans would be able to jump on a plane from west London to Memphis, Tennessee, where the singer’s former home, Graceland, is located.

More than 600,000 people a year visit the mansion, making it the second most-visited house in America after the White House.

Tennessee-bound travellers could also fly direct to its capital, Nashville, to experience its country music venues, visit Civil War battle sites and try its famous hot chicken dishes.

Another direct route would be to Salt Lake City, the gateway to the powder-snow ski fields of Utah, where the Winter Olympics took place in 2002. Heathrow spokesman Nathan Fletcher said: “Expansion will mean connecting to the world’s fastest growing cities, which is pivotal to Britain’s economic plan.

“And with direct flights it will open the world up for holidaymakers as well as businesspeople to experience the culture of these flourishing destinations.”

A flight to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala — hailed by Mahatma Gandhi as India’s “evergreen city” — would cut the travel time to its idyllic Kovalam beach and wildlife sanctuaries. Further east, travellers looking to follow in the footsteps of Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham would be able to travel to Penang on the north-west coast of peninsular Malaysia, by the Strait of Malacca.

While the city is thriving economically, with major industrial developments, it is also popular among tourists who flock to taste the cuisine of Malaysia’s food capital — a fusion of many nations — and visit its beaches, hills and culture.

Londoners would also be able to fly direct to the old port city of Fuzhou, the fast-growing capital of China’s Fujian province, which offers a range of tourist attractions including hot springs.

Flights to Central America will boost links with the bustling metropolis of Panama City, at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, with nearby sandy beaches and rainforests, as well as to Guatemala City.

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