LONDON — One of the busiest airports in the United Kingdom was forced to shut down on Monday after extreme heat caused a section of its runway to lift.
Flights were briefly suspended at London’s Luton Airport after maintenance crews repaired a portion of its only runway, according to BBC. At least three flights were diverted to nearby airports while the repair took place.
Flights suspended at Luton airport as heat affects runway https://t.co/AZJ66ggCQT
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) July 18, 2022
The runway reopened shortly after repairs were completed.
ℹ️ Update at 18.15 pic.twitter.com/p4m68M1V1s
— London Luton Airport (@LDNLutonAirport) July 18, 2022
Royal Air Force base Brize Norton, located west of Luton, halted flights and diverted traffic to other airfields because of the heat. The RAF told The Associated Press that “aircraft are using alternative airfields in line with a long established plan.”
According to the AP, hot weather has gripped southern Europe since last week, triggering wildfires in Spain, Portugal and France. The heat wave has spread north to Britain, triggering England’s first-ever extreme heat warning.
Temperatures are expected to be over 105 degrees on Tuesday across most of England.
©2022 Cox Media Group
