Lands End Airport Closure 4 – 20 July for Runway Works

Skybus have announced that Lands End Airport will be closed from the 4^th to the 20^th July in order to carry out the major engineering works to provide hard runway surfaces.  All flights to and from Lands End Airport over this period have been rescheduled to use Newquay Airport. 

The work is inevitably going to inconvenience many travellers given the time of year but delaying the work until the winter would have incurred substantial risks and extra costs. 

FRIST understands that Skybus have written to all passengers who are booked on flights affected by the closure explaining the alternative arrangements that have been made for them.  Further details can be found on the Isles of Scilly Travel website at www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk  

Comment.

The laying of hard (tarmac) runway surfaces at Lands End Airport will transform the Airport’s operational availability during the winter months .  The existing grass strips have routinely became unusable for a weeks at a time due to waterlogging caused by wet winter weather.  The diversion of flights to Newquay complicated travel for most travellers as public transport links are poor from Newquay Airport. Islanders attending medical appointments at Treliske Hospital were faced with £40+ taxi journeys each way unless they were prepared to stay overnight.

The work is being performed by Laggan Construction Ltd at a cost in the region of £2.6 million.  The work is understood to be funded 50% by Skybus with match funding from EU ERDF funds.

The project provides important economic benefits for Penzance as well as more reliable services for islanders and visitors.  The loss of the BIH service has seen, during the winter months, Penzance ‘out of the loop’ as far as 'passing trade' from travellers to the Islands are concerned.