East Midlands Airport to close down on 9 dates for critical runway and safety upgrades

East Midlands Airport is undertaking a series of scheduled closures to carry out upgrades to its runway, taxiways and other parts of the airfield to ensure the ongoing safety and effectiveness of its passenger and cargo operations.

Three sessions before the end of the year and a further six in the new year have been coordinated with airlines and timed to coincide with periods when there are no flights and the airport can close with no impact on customers.

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The runway, taxiway and aircraft stands handle around 200 passenger and cargo flights a day which take a toll on the wear and tear of the airfield assets.

Essential maintenance routinely takes place on an annual basis and is normally conducted overnight to minimise disruption. However, this year, the airport has an opportunity to carry out these necessary works, as well as further airfield upgrades as part of EMA’s £120m investment programme, during daylight hours over extended periods.

This not only enables a greater volume of work but also allows teams to operate in a safer environment, reducing overall impact on airport operations. On each occasion there will be around 116 vehicles and 126 personnel working across the airfield.

The first of the close-downs happened last week on December 4, when there was also some electrical work which required the closure of the terminal. That work is complete but further work will be carried out on the runway, taxiways and ‘aprons’ where aircraft stand on December 11 and 18, January 8, 15, 22, and 29, as well as February 5 and 12. The closures will take place between 10am and 6pm.

During these closures, the following upgrades and improvements will be carried out:

• Runway Edge Lights Conversion: Transitioning from elevated edge lights to inset, levelling the lights for improved safety and performance. The change is part of an ongoing upgrade to LED lighting, saving power, with the insetting of lights also enabling a better snow clearing process

• Apron and Taxiway Upgrades: Around £1m worth of upgrade works on taxiways and the central apron, where passenger aircraft stand – replacing surfaces to improve safety and passenger comfort

• Hydrant System and Drainage Upgrades: Enhancements to improve operational efficiency and water management, to improve the control of run-off from airfield surfaces

• Routine Runway, Taxiway, and Apron Maintenance: Ongoing maintenance to ensure the safety and longevity of the airfield infrastructure. Around 4,000 tonnes of asphalt will be used to upgrade 76,000sqm of surface, as well as replacing around 250 ground lights.

Internal EMA’s Asset Management Director James Ayre said: “We have been planning for these critical works for nine months. Working closely with stakeholders, the selected dates and times have been chosen to minimise disruption to our passengers and cargo operations.

“We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of all affected parties as we carry out these vital improvements, allowing us to continue to deliver effortless travel and seamless trade safely and efficiently at East Midlands Airport.”