Alderney flights cancelled due to runway defect

A defect, which has been repaired previously, has closed Alderney airport

A defect in the main runway at Alderney Airport means it has closed to commercial flights, the States of Guernsey has said.

The States, which is responsible for the airport, said a defect was found during a routine inspection on Tuesday.

It said the surface had subsided due to a "failure in the base material".

Airline Aurigny said all flights to and from Alderney had been cancelled and it was working with Guernsey Ports to find "alternative travel options".

The government said temporary repairs were completed on Wednesday afternoon and the airport was expected to reopen by Thursday lunchtime once the concrete used had had time to cure.

The States of Guernsey is set to debate financing a new airport for Alderney, which would include a longer runway, new terminal and a refurbished on-site fire station at the cost of about £24m.

Guernsey Ports said it would assess whether some operations could be "restored, potentially with reduced capacity", and that it would bring a specialist team from the UK to carry out repairs.

Alderney Ferry Services said due to weather conditions it had also halted its bookings due to potentially cancelled sailings.

"Once the sea calms down, as always we will be happy to work alongside Aurigny in helping transport passengers," it said.

The States said the defect was located in an area which had previously been repaired as "part of an ongoing programme of patch repairs".

It said if medical assistance was needed, St John's marine ambulance or a helicopter would be deployed instead of a medical evacuation flight.

The airport's two grass runways are unsuitable for the planes operated by Aurigny.

Aurigny said it would halt flight sales for Alderney routes until Friday 28 October as a "precautionary measure".

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