Runway potholes force flight cancellations as St. Vincent airport faces temporary downgrade

Runway potholes at St. Vincent’s Argyle International Airport (AIA) continued to disrupt operations over the weekend, prompting flight cancellations and a temporary downgrade of the airport’s capacity.

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An American Airlines flight to Miami was cancelled on Saturday after pilots refused to take off due to the damaged runway. A NOTAM issued Sunday revealed that AIA has been temporarily downgraded to accommodate only aircraft with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) below 225,000 lbs.

Sources told the St Vincent Times that Virgin Atlantic cancelled its flight into St. Vincent on Sunday because of unsafe runway conditions. The cancellation was confirmed up to press time.

Maintenance teams worked late into Saturday night attempting to repair the runway. Despite the initial disruption, AA flight 3098 eventually departed for Miami on Sunday morning, December 7, after a delay of more than 16 hours. The aircraft is expected to land at Miami International Airport at approximately 1:47 p.m.

American Airlines has not adjusted its scheduled service for later today, and its incoming flight to AIA is expected to arrive at 3:56 p.m.

The situation has revived concerns first raised in January, when photos of potholes on the runway circulated online. At the time, AIA issued a press release rejecting claims that the runway was in poor condition.

“The airport continues to execute regular maintenance on the aerodrome. The AIA Inc. remains committed to the highest standards of safety and operational excellence, and we encourage the public to rely on official sources for accurate information,” the release stated in January.

Social media users have speculated whether cracks or holes on the runway may have contributed to the January 20 incident in which an American Airlines aircraft burst two tires on landing. Authorities have not confirmed any link.