Heathrow Airport to host “Made In Scotland” week

HEATHROW Airport will today name one of its two runways after the Scot who invented Tarmac - but only for a week.

Picture: Heathrow Airport

The temporary honour for John McAdam was ridiculed by Edinburgh Airport, which is backing sister airport Gatwick’s battle for a new runway against Heathrow’s expansion plans.

Signs will be erected beside the runway to highlight the name to passengers on board aircraft, as part of Heathrow’s “Made in Scotland” week.

Other Scottish inventions, such as the telephone, television and cash machine, will be tagged in the airport’s terminals with a new tartan created by Scotland Commonwealth Games team outfits designer Jilli Blackwood.

Picture: PA

Heathrow strategy director Emma Gilthorpe said: “Some could argue that, in some way, Heathrow was actually made in Scotland.”

However, a spokesman for Edinburgh Airport, said: “If Heathrow truly wanted to thank Scots beyond this astonishing PR stunt, it could ensure fights to Scotland aren’t stopped at the moment a wisp of fog appears on its tarmac runway.

“Our passengers want resilience, not to be patronised.”