Bristol Runway Too Slippery When Wet

Officials at Bristol International Airport acknowledged Saturday that several airlines have decided to suspend their service at the airport, due to concerns about the safety of the facility's runway.

The Associated Press reports nine carriers -- easyJet, BA Connect, XL, Thomsonfly, Thomas Cook, Balkan Airlines, First Choice, Air Malta and SN Brussels -- are worried about the reliability of the runway in wet conditions. Continental, KLM, and Ryanair continue to serve the airport, according to Bristol's website.

At issue is a resurfacing project that began in November, which the airlines say left the surface of runway 9/27 unacceptably slick during wet or rainy conditions.

"Over the past 24 hours we have been working with our airline partners to find an acceptable way forward," said Bristol aviation development director Tony Hallwood. "We wish to reassure passengers that every effort is being made to ensure to that a normal service is resumed at Bristol International as soon as possible. The safety of our passengers is, as always, of paramount concern."

The suspension came as a surprise to many travelers... as nearly 100 flights were diverted to other airports on Saturday, and another 28 flights were cancelled.

FMI: www.bristolairport.co.uk/