Safety

Safety measures have been added. Safety is the top priority at Asheville Regional Airport. During airfield construction added safety measures are put in place to ensure the best level of safety for passengers, pilots, employees, and our development partners.  The west-side taxiway/temporary runway was constructed to handle all expected air traffic at AVL for the period during which it was used as a runway. Aviation experts, engineers, general contractors, and the Federal Aviation Administration were all involved in the approved plans for its addition to the airfield.

Closures

Overnight runway closures will occur. Because much of the work involved will take place within the runway safety area (the area around the runway that must remain free and clear of obstructions during use), a significant portion of the construction will occur in overnight hours after the last scheduled flight times. During these late night and early morning hours (usually between midnight and 5:30 a.m.), the airfield will be closed to air traffic and Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs - official communication filed with the FAA and available to pilots) will be issued to communicate the closures. The airfield will open again early in the mornings after construction crews have departed and the runway has been cleared for use in time for the first scheduled flight. We will be ready for commercial, general aviation, and military air traffic.

Delays

Delayed evening flights may not be able to land between midnight and 5:30 a.m.  As does happen in air travel, airlines may experience instances from time to time when a flight is significantly delayed and would be unable to operate until late into the night.  As seasoned travelers know, airline delays are caused by various reasons, such as inclement weather, mechanical issues, or crew delays.

If Asheville Regional Airport construction crews have already begun their scheduled work on the airfield in the overnight hours, delayed flights will not be able to land at AVL between the midnight to 5:30 a.m. time-frame because the airfield will be closed for construction. Airlines and pilots are aware of the work being conducted and understand that significantly delayed evening flights could result in flight cancelations. We want our passengers to be informed about this possibility, although we anticipate that these types of issues will be rare.