Bristol Airport Flights Cancelled After Runway Defect As Planes Diverted to Gatwick

Bristol Airport suspended operations on Friday night after a runway defect was discovered, forcing cancellations and diversions to airports including London Gatwick. The airport said flights would remain halted until at least 6am on Saturday 8 August while repairs were carried out.

Flights at Bristol Airport have been cancelled, diverted and delayed after the airport shut its runway because of a defect requiring urgent inspection and repairs.

Operations were suspended on Friday 7 August, with Bristol Airport saying the closure was a precaution taken while the affected section of runway was assessed and repaired. The airport said the suspension would remain in place until at least 6am on Saturday.

Inbound aircraft were diverted to other UK airports, including London Gatwick, Birmingham and Cardiff, according to reports, creating knock-on disruption for passengers who had expected to arrive in Bristol.

Bristol Airport said: 

“Due to a defect on the runway, we have temporarily suspended operations as a precaution, in order to inspect and repair the section affected.”

It added that safety remained its “number one priority” and advised passengers with flight-specific questions to contact their airlines.

The closure caused major disruption inside the terminal on Friday evening. Passengers described crowded areas and criticised the amount of information available after flights were stopped. EasyJet also warned customers travelling through Bristol to expect disruption.

Reports that the defect involved a “hole” in the runway came from affected passengers rather than the airport. Bristol Airport’s confirmed description remained a “defect” in the runway, and no further official detail about its size or cause had been published before the planned Saturday morning reopening.

Saturday Morning Flights Face Knock-on Delays

Although the airport was targeting a reopening from 6am, its live departures information showed disruption already extending into Saturday morning.

A Paris Charles de Gaulle flight scheduled for 5.55am was showing an estimated departure of 8.30am, while Jet2 services to Faro and Girona scheduled for the same time were listed for 7am and 9am respectively. A 6am Jet2 departure to Tenerife was delayed until 7.35am.

Other early departures, including services to Lanzarote, Rzeszow, Barcelona, Edinburgh and Marseille, were also showing later estimated times. The live board nevertheless continued to list a full programme of flights for later on Saturday, indicating airlines were preparing to resume operations once the runway was available.

The arrivals board was also showing delays later in the day, including Jet2 services from Girona, Menorca, Alicante and Palma.

For London passengers, the diversion of some Bristol-bound aircraft to Gatwick means the disruption has also affected one of the capital region’s main airports, although passengers should check directly with their airline before making onward travel arrangements.

Under current UK Civil Aviation Authority rules, passengers whose flights are cancelled are generally entitled to choose between a refund or re-routing. Airlines must also provide appropriate care during qualifying disruption, although separate fixed-sum compensation can depend on the cause of the cancellation and whether it amounts to an extraordinary circumstance.

Bristol Airport had not confirmed an earlier reopening before its stated 6am target. Passengers travelling on Saturday were being advised to check their airline and the airport’s live flight information before setting out, with further delays possible as aircraft and crews displaced by Friday night’s closure return to schedule.