Runway Troubles Disrupt Flights at Argyle International Airport
As runway potholes continue to plague St Vincent’s Argyle Airport, an American Airlines flight to Miami on Saturday was cancelled, and a NOTAM (on Sunday) revealed that the AIA is now temporarily downgraded.
The NOTAM, which was seen by St Vincent Times, revealed that the airport is temporarily downgraded to accommodate aircraft with an MTOW (Maximum Take-Off Weight) below 225000 lbs.
Sources tell the St Vincent Times that Virgin Atlantic has cancelled its flight into St Vincent today due to unsafe runway conditions. This information was confirmed up to press time.
Maintenance teams struggled on Saturday night to repair the damaged runway as AA pilots refused to take off.
AA flight 3098 bound for Miami left on Sunday morning (7 December), after a 16-hour-plus delay. The flight is expected to land at MIA around 1.47 p.m.
There are no changes to the American Airlines flight to the AIA today, which is expected to arrive at 3.56 p.m.
In January, AIA, in response to photos of potholes on the runway, said, in a press release, that the photos did not reflect the current condition of the runway.
“The airport continues to execute regular maintenance on the aerodrome. The AIA Inc. remains committed to the highest standards of safety and operational excellence, and we encourage the public to rely on official sources for accurate information,” the release stated in January.
There have been speculations on social media as to whether the holes or cracks could have played a role in the incident where an American Airlines plane on January 20th burst two tires as it landed on the runway.