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Runway repair work under way at Modlin airport

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 27.12.2012 14:23
Repair work commenced, Monday, at Warsaw's new Modlin airport, following the closure at the weekend of parts of the runway amid safety fears.

Work
Work begins Monday on cracked Modlin runway: photo - PAP/Jacek Turczyk

Last Sunday, Modlin airport announced that the 2500 metre runway had been cut to 1500 metres due to cracks appearing in it, just six months after the airport, around 50 kilometres from the Polish capital, opened to take flights from low-cost airlines and charter flights.

The reduced runway length meant that Modlin could not accept Boeing 737 aircraft, the mainstay of no-frills airline fleets.

An estimated 40,000 holiday travellers were affected by the suspension of services at Modlin Airport, with flights having to be re-schedule to nearby Chopin International Airport and others in the region.

The decision taken by the Provincial Building Inspector to cut the runway length will be in place until at least 4 January, said airport director Piotr Okienczyc.

“The building contractor will conduct repair work in accordance with the warranty contract. It is difficult to say exactly when regular services at the airport will be resumed but I think it will be no earlier than some time at the beginning of next year,” he told Polish Radio.

Under warranty the ERBUD S.A. building firm is also required to cover financial losses resulting from the need to suspend operations at the airport, which have been estimated at 150,000 zloty, or 50,000 USD a day.

Last week, Wizz Air low-cost airline said it was suspending flights to and from Modlin due to concern about the “lack of ILS infrastructure and massive flight disruptions and cancellations".

Modlin airport handles around 20 flights and an average of 5,000 passengers daily. (pg/di)

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