Qantas and Virgin planes grounded due to sticky new airport tarmac

TULCEA, ROMANIA - DECEMBER 02: Workers applying reinforcement mesh on a surface in preparation for paving as part of the Danube Delta international airport on December 02, 2015 in Tulcea, Romania.

Planes for two airlines have been grounded at Geraldton Airport in Western Australia due to newly laid tarmac which hadn’t been set properly.

The airport terminal was filled with unhappy customers on Thursday morning after two planes belonging to Qantas and Virgin that had just landed at the regional airport, and were due to fly to Perth that same morning, were found to have bitumen stuck to their wheels.

New tarmac was laid on the runway on Wednesday night as part of extension work at Geraldton Airport, but the bitumen failed to set properly due to cold weather, according to media reports.

Engineers were called in to repair the damaged wheels from the two planes, while affected Qantas and Virgin flights were put on the next available flights on Friday.

 

In a statement to Travel Weekly, City of Greater Geraldton CEO Ross McKim said: “Two planes were delayed at Geraldton Airport last week due to tarmac not setting overnight because of cool weather.

“There was a minor pick-up of a tack-coat emulsion on F100 aircraft tyres but there was no damage to the aircraft and no danger to passengers. The City of Greater Geraldton apologises for the inconvenience.

“A majority of the works are being conducted at night to avoid disruption.”

 

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