Island airport proposed for London By Simon Busch, CNN November 19, 2013 -- Updated 0035 GMT (0835 HKT) Runways in the river Space-age design Natural light Heathrow terminal? Airport would sit on artificial Thames island Project costed at $76 billion is forecast to take seven years Transparent hubs filled with trees would form passenger terminals Heathrow "to close" if project realized London (CNN) -- Many visitors to London will be used to flying over the Thames before they land. Within less than 10 years, they could be touching down at an island airport in the middle of the river itself. A futuristic-looking, six-runway airport on an artificial island has been proposed at a location off the Isle of Sheppey, around 80 kilometers from the center of the city. The plan from a consortium formed by the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been projected to cost £47 billion ($76 billion) and to take seven years. With Heathrow running at 99% capacity, the capital needs more runways, the consortium, Testrad, says. The mid-river location is intended to avoid adding to the aviation noise pollution already bedeviling London -- the source of long-running campaigns from residents beneath that approach into Heathrow that passengers so enjoy. Trees growing in terminal A visualization of the proposed London Britannia Airport shows an oval-shaped stucture bisected by runways, sitting in the Thames where the river widens to form an estuary. Interlinked, translucent hemispherical pods cover the concourse and other passenger areas -- the light they admit allowing trees and other vegetation to grow within. Heathrow Airport, currently the busiest in Europe by passenger traffic and the third busiest in the world, would close if Britannia Airport went ahead, Gensler, its designers, said. Passenger numbers to all London's airports are expected to more than double by 2031, to 300 million from 127 million a year in 2010, according to the Greater London Authority. More: Viagra among best cures for jet lag? November 11, 2013 -- Updated 0751 GMT (1551 HKT) First chance to fly the latest Dreamliner will come courtesy Air New Zealand in October 2014. June 14, 2013 -- Updated 1057 GMT (1857 HKT) Pilot and photographer remember Kai Tak airport -- from the fondest to the scariest moments. June 18, 2013 -- Updated 2054 GMT (0454 HKT) The Airbus A350 XWB takes to the sky for the first time. It's been a long time coming. Can it compete with Boeing? June 11, 2013 -- Updated 1817 GMT (0217 HKT) Rainbow palettes, tent-like buildings and structures inspired by rolling dunes ... some airports are as pretty as they are functional. June 5, 2013 -- Updated 1350 GMT (2150 HKT) You might think theft is one of the last things to worry about on a flight -- but not according to one new report.