--- title: "Flights Halted After UK Heat Wave Melts London Luton Airport Runway" date: "2022-07-19" modified: "2022-07-19" authors: - name: "Lewin Day" job_title: "Contributor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/lewin-day" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/flights-halted-after-uk-heat-wave-melts-london-luton-airport-runway" categories: - "Culture" - "News" tags: - "Aviation" --- # Flights Halted After UK Heat Wave Melts London Luton Airport Runway ![Melted runway at London Luton Airport]() *\Screengrab via SCMP Clips/YouTube\* London Luton Airport was closed for several hours on Monday as extreme heat melted the runway. The airport's official Twitter account [announced the closure]() on Monday afternoon as crews worked to rectify the issue. Airport authorities found a "surface defect" on the runway, where high temperatures had caused the surface to lift. The issue forced [cancellations]() of several flights and the diversion of some arrivals, according to the [*BBC*](). https://twitter.com/LDNLutonAirport/status/1549052054936571904 You can see footage of crews repairing the runway in this SCMP Clips video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIkG1vCRjas As per records on *[FlightRadar24]()*, [Ryanair]() flight FR338 to Dublin was the last to depart at 14:37 local time. The last to land was GlobeAir flight C510 at 15:10 local time, flying in from Nice. Other incoming flights were diverted to Gatwick, Stansted, Southend, Birmingham, and Biggin Hill airports. Engineers were on-site quickly to execute emergency repairs. They provided updates throughout the day, with the runway reopening to departing flights at 17:40 local time. Arriving flights were allowed access at 18:05, and the airport was once again declared fully operational. Luton was not the only airport affected. RAF Brize Norton also halted operations due to the heat [also melting its runway](). The airbase is the RAF's largest in the country. The RAF indicated there was no disruption to operations, with activities redirected to other airbases, as per long-established plans. They've probably had practice, given that the Brize Norton runway melted [in July last year](), too. Monday was the [hottest day of 2022 in Britain](), with temperatures exceeding 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) in parts of the country. The UK's Met Office has warned that temperatures could reach 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) [on Tuesday](). The conditions have prompted the most extreme [heat warnings]() from authorities. The fear is that, in a country ill-prepared for such high temperatures, there could be significant risks to health and infrastructure. With [less than 1 percent]() of British homes fitted with air conditioning, residents have pursued alternate methods to keep their homes cool and safe. https://twitter.com/Sarah_Hants/status/1549002113770000385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1549002113770000385%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.npr.org%2F2022%2F07%2F18%2F1112010330%2Fuk-heat-wave-extreme-weather-warning-high-temperatures Unfortunately, global temperatures look to [continue their rise]() in the coming years. The costs of dealing with the consequences of such heat could rob the resources needed for the fight against climate change. However, it will hopefully also provide a serious incentive for governments to act. *Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com* ## Author Lewin Day is a contributing writer tackling everything from breaking news after the offices empty out to sharing feature articles on wrenching, robotics, and the trials and tribulations of being a down-to-earth car enthusiast. He lives in Adelaide, Australia. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]() [Twitter]()