All flights cancelled from Armidale

All flights from Armidale Regional Airport have been cancelled following a failure of the runway pavement during ongoing maintenance work.

Armidale Regional Council has confirmed that it is working urgently to organise the necessary machinery to repair the damaged pavement and will provide further updates as the situation develops. Travellers booked on QantasLink flights are advised to check the airline’s website at Qantas Flight Status, while passengers flying with Link Airways should contact the airline on 1300 851 269 for the latest information on their bookings.

The runway works at Armidale Regional Airport are part of a scheduled maintenance program, which began in late January and was planned to conclude by Saturday 15 February, weather permitting. The work includes resurfacing and heavy patching to maintain the integrity of the critical runway infrastructure.

However, progress of the critical works was affected by rain, which delayed some aspects. Council was optimistically confident enough repairs had been completed to proceed with resealing works as scheduled on Saturday, until the ‘failure’ of the pavement yesterday.

During this time, the runway will be closed to facilitate the completion of necessary repairs. Council has advised that resealing must take place in dry conditions and when the road pavement has reached a sufficient temperature to allow the works to proceed effectively.

Armidale Regional Council has assured passengers and airlines that it is working closely with Qantas and other airport users to keep them informed of any changes or disruptions as the maintenance program progresses. Travellers are encouraged to confirm their flight availability directly with their airline before heading to the airport.

However, passengers initially reported that Qantas staff knew nothing when they tried to rebook their travel for today from Tamworth or for another date. Locals needing to get to business and medical appointments were left scrambling for information or told they would need to pay hefty fees to change their flights.

Qantas have since cancelled all flights for Monday.

“To support our customers, Qantas has scheduled additional services between Sydney and Tamworth.”

“Customers should refer to their email for further information,” Qantas said.

Armidale Regional Council has apologised for the inconvenience caused by the flight cancellations and airport closures. The works are essential to maintain the safety and reliability of the runway, ensuring that the airport can continue to operate efficiently in the long term.