Runway opens briefly – but then closes again
THREE passenger flights bound for Scilly took off from Land's End airport for the first time this year on Monday – before the airport was closed again due to waterlogging.
The clifftop airport has been shut since December 18 and all scheduled flights have been diverted to Newquay Cornwall Airport due to poor weather conditions.
Land's End's long-anticipated reopening on Monday morning was short-lived, as another downpour forced the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company to close it again by the afternoon.
The company has now confirmed the airport will remain closed and flights will again be diverted to Newquay until Monday, February 18, at the earliest – two months since it was last open.
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A spokesman for the Steamship Company said the closure was necessary to avoid damaging the clifftop runway further and alternative arrangements were being made for passengers.
The spokesman said on Monday: "We opened the airport at Land's End this morning and operated three scheduled Skybus flights and one freighter aircraft at reduced capacity.
"Due to the heavy rainfall over the weekend and again today we are closing the airport as we do not want to damage the already soft and damp runway, until and including Monday, February 18, at which time we will make a further inspection of the airfield and provide any further announcements.
"We are sorry for any inconvenience caused, but we are doing our best in these unusual circumstances.
"We thank you for your patience."
Hundreds of passengers have seen their journeys disrupted by the weather-related problems – the first in the airport's history to force its closure for more than a week.
It is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, with a new terminal building, control tower and passenger facilities under construction.
Comments
by josdave
Thursday, February 14 2013, 12:50PM
“I would have thought that after all the business they have lost because of the runway it would have been much cheaper to have laid down tarmac a long time ago.”