Flight operations at Manchester Airport were disrupted on September 20, 2026, after a hole was discovered in one of the runways, forcing a closure lasting around two hours. The closure resulted in widespread delays and multiple flight diversions.
Three flights bound for Manchester were redirected to Liverpool Airport (LPL): XQ592 arriving from Antalya, LS884 from Pisa, and LS802 from Rhodes. Additionally, Pegasus Airlines flight PC7281 from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport was diverted to Stansted Airport due to the runway closure. Following maintenance work, the runway reopened but delays persisted due to ongoing knock-on effects.
An official from Manchester Airport confirmed
the closure, stating, “One of our runways closed for a short period today to allow routine maintenance to take place.” Pegasus Airlines acknowledged the diversion of flight PC7281 and said a replacement flight will be scheduled to reduce disruption.
According to travel service Inrix, flights to and from Manchester Airport are experiencing average departure delays of fifty minutes. Passengers were urged to verify flight status before travelling to the airport. The diversions to Liverpool and Stansted Airports added complexity to passenger itineraries during the disruption.
This incident follows a previous runway issue at Manchester Airport’s Delta Zulu crossing point on
August 31, 2026, which caused extended delays over the August bank holiday weekend. That intersection remains a critical area in the airport’s runway infrastructure.
