Brisbane Airport resumes normal operations following runway upgrade
September 30, 2024
Following three months of essential runway maintenance as part of its $5 billion Future BNE programme, Brisbane Airport has resumed normal operations.
The successful completion of major works on the airport’s legacy runway, marked the end of 12 weeks of disrupted services at Australia’s primary gateway to Queensland. The essential maintenance, which included replacing 18 cracked slats originally installed in the 1980s, was carried out on the ends of the runway, shortening the length available for aircraft use from 3.5km to 2.7km. Subsequently wide-bodied and international flights had to use the airport’s new parallel runway.
In addition to removing 1,350sqm of concrete slabs on the taxiway, the work involved the placement of 570m3 of concrete using 90 concrete trucks, the placement of 600 tonnes of asphalt on the taxiway and 1000 sandbags to mark the shortened runway. A public awareness campaign, including television commercials, letterbox drops and social media posts was also carried out to keep the local community informed.
Describing the work as “necessary to keep Brisbane Airport’s runway safe,” Gert-Jan de Graaf, Brisbane Airport CEO, expressed his delight that the project had been completed within the timeframe promised. “We know [the work] has meant temporary changes to where aircraft fly and appreciate the understanding shown by the community,” he added.
He also noted that the airport’s team worked hard to ensure the runway reopened on time. “The team’s efforts to complete line marking while a low-pressure system delivered rain and strong winds was impressive. Crews used heaters to dry the tarmac so we reopened on the weekend.”
