As travelers prepare for the holiday weekend, they should be aware of potential flight delays at Boston’s Logan International Airport due to ongoing construction work, which is not associated with weather conditions or a government shutdown. This construction involves a significant upgrade to the airport’s busiest runway, which is currently closed.
Logan handles over 1,000 flights daily, and the closure of Runway 27 is expected to decrease the airport’s flight capacity during peak afternoon hours from an average of 50-55 flights per hour down to approximately 40. This project aims to install an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), a safety feature designed to prevent aircraft from overrunning or undershooting the runway. The EMAS consists of crushable concrete, similar to a truck ramp on highways, which helps slow planes before they come to a complete stop.
While ideally, this system will never need to be used, recent incidents at other airports, including one where a jet overshot a runway in Roanoke, Virginia, illustrate the importance of these safety systems as mandated by the FAA.
Airport officials are actively collaborating with airlines to mitigate the impact of these delays, which are anticipated to average between 45 minutes to an hour, particularly from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. During this construction phase, Runway 27 will be closed until November 15, with an additional 75-day closure planned for the following year.
Crews are working around the clock and utilizing a range of resources, including cranes on both land and water, to complete the project efficiently. Given the airport’s unique location, some of the construction for the EMAS takes place on the water, requiring precise coordination with tides and logistics to manage the complexities involved.
Despite the temporary inconveniences, the completion of this safety upgrade is a proactive step towards enhancing aviation safety at Logan Airport, which ultimately serves the best interests of all travelers.