A strip of Tarmac just 400 metres long could open up the world for holidaymakers and business travellers from the West Midlands.

That is the length of the runway extension needed at Birmingham International Airport to pave the way for flights to China, Thailand, Malaysia, the West Coast of America, the Caribbean and South America.

Because at the moment, the runway, at just under 2,600 metres, is too short to enable fully laden jets – loaded with passengers, fuel and cargo – to actually take off. However, they can land without difficulty because they are not weighed down with fuel.

That would all change if Solihull planners give the green light to the extension which would take it over the current A45 Birmingham to Coventry dual carriageway road, which would be diverted and taken underground via a tunnel.

The airport this week revealed a huge expansion of Ryanair flights across Europe from the airport, starting this year.

If it gets the go-ahead to extend the runway, work on the £120 million scheme could start as early as next year – and within three years the gateway to the West Midlands would be able to handle even more flights to destinations all over the globe.