A lightning strike at a French regional airport in Brittany has led to widespread disruption and flights cancellations following significant damage to the control tower. Brest Airport was hit during Storm Geraldine, causing the cancellation of all services in and out of the facility on Saturday evening.
Initially hopeful of resuming operations by Tuesday morning, the airport anticipates the restart of services only on Thursday, January 4th.
Responsibility for repairs fell on the Service de Navigation aérienne (SNA) which delayed the restoration process, reportedly lacking available technicians over the New Year holiday weekend.
Despite initiating repair work on Tuesday, the extent of the damage surpassed initial assessments.
Earlier promises of potentially limited resumptions by Tuesday afternoon were retracted, with the airport announcing a prospective reopening of the Brest Air Navigation Service on Thursday morning to accommodate commercial traffic for the final weekend of school holidays.
Passengers have been advised to verify their travel plans directly with their airlines before heading to the airport.
The airport’s prolonged closure underscores the impact of unforeseen natural events on critical infrastructure and air travel, emphasizing the necessity for swift and effective repair solutions.
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