Tom Nicholson | Reuters Extreme heat in the United Kingdom on Monday damaged the runway and disrupted military and civilian flights, airport officials said. A heat wave has gripped much of Western Europe, with temperatures in London forecast to reach around 100 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday and possibly higher on Tuesday before breaking out midweek. The airline industry struggles with the infrastructure impacts of extreme weather, including storms, floods and high temperatures. “Following today’s high temperatures, a surface defect has been identified on the runway,” London Luton Airport representatives said in a statement. “Engineers were immediately called to the scene and repair work is currently underway to resume operations as soon as possible. We would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.” The airport is used by budget airlines including easyJet, Ryanair and Wizzair. At Brize Norton Royal Air Force Base in Oxfordshire, flights were grounded after a similar report of damage to the runway. “During this period of extreme temperatures, flight safety remains our top priority, so aircraft are using alternative airports in accordance with a long-established plan,” an RAF spokesman said. “This means there is no impact on RAF operations.” The RAF did not say why it was suspending flights, but a spokesman said “the runway has not melted”, as early media reports suggested. Heathrow Airport, the country’s largest, said it was monitoring the effects of the heat and so far was operating normally. Gatwick Airport outside London also said it had identified no runway problems due to the heat.
