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Perth Airport has completed repairs on its main runway after a Qantas A330-200 damaged the surface on takeoff over the weekend.
Dramatic footage captured by planespotters showed what looked like large chunks of tarmac being thrown up behind VH-EBD (similar aircraft pictured) as it took off from runway 03 to operate flight QF71 to Singapore at around noon on Sunday. The runway surface is reported to have been freshly laid.
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No flights were cancelled or significantly delayed despite the main runway being only partially operational for the rest of the afternoon, though a Silkway 747-8F freighter service due to land shortly after QF71 took off was forced to divert to Adelaide.
Drama at Perth Airport this afternoon as a Qantas A330 rips up part of the newly relaid section of runway 03.
There was a Silkway B748-8F due to land after this & now was diverted to Adelaide. @flightradar24 @webflite
📹 – via @Keg767 pic.twitter.com/t7cVCFqO4S— Alex 🇭🇲 (@speedbird020) September 15, 2024
“At approximately 12.00pm on Sunday 15 September, following an aircraft departure, pavement damage on the Main Runway at Perth Airport was identified,” an airport spokesperson said.
“Following a short full closure, the Main Runway was reopened to operate some departing services, while urgent pavement maintenance works were undertaken. The Cross Runway remained fully operational throughout.
“The maintenance works were completed at approximately 1.00am on Monday 16 September. Only one freight service made a diversion during the time with all other services continuing to operate safely.”
In an update on Monday afternoon, the airport said “additional minor works” were being carried out on the runway.
“These additional works are based on the advice of an external civil engineer, sought as part of an ongoing investigation to understand the cause of the pavement failure,” the spokesperson said.
“The incident impacted around 20 metres of pavement and occurred on a 110-metre section which had just been overlaid as part of a planned renewal of the 3440-metre runway. As this was the first section completed, no other parts of the runway are impacted.
“The Main Runway will continue to be used for departures while the recommended additional works are completed, and the Cross Runway will remain fully operational.”
The cause of the incident is under investigation, and Qantas declined to comment.
