The runway that suffered a collapse this Sunday had been renovated in August 2023.
SANTO DOMINGO.- The Las Américas International Airport (AILA) is closed after a collapse (hole) on runway 17-35, authorities reported yesterday.
The airport spokesperson reported that they are working to restore service by at least 10:00 PM. This has caused delays in flight arrivals and departures.
According to a tweet published by Aerodom, maintenance teams are addressing a section of asphalt that has come loose on the runway.
"Our technical teams are already on the ground resolving the situation, so we expect to normalize operations shortly. We appreciate everyone's understanding in this extraordinary situation and encourage passengers to check with their airline for the status of their flight," AILA stated.
Several flights have been diverted to alternate airports, causing delays in arrivals and departures.
The runway at AILA, closed due to the hole, had been renovated in 2023 for more than US$3 million
Runway 17-35, which suffered a collapse this Sunday, had been renovated in August 2023.
According to information provided by Aeropuertos Dominicanos (Aerodom), the cost of the repair exceeded three million dollars.
Seven months ago, when they carried out its reconstruction, the work forced the closure of the runway from August 7 to 20 (2023), to allow the removal and placement of new asphalt material in 54,000 square meters, as well as the renovation of another 57,000 square meters.
Aerodom had posted on its social media that the work had been coordinated since February of this year with all airlines and tour operators.
However, this Sunday the 17-35 track was closed again due to a defect (hole) in its asphalt.
Source: Listín Diario.
