Brisbane Airport was operating as usual on Wednesday (28 October) after a lightning strike damaged its western runway during Tuesday's storms, forcing emergency repairs and a closure lasting more than eight hours. Airport spokesperson Peter Doherty told Brisbane Times the surface had been restored at 11.52pm on Tuesday (27 October).
The newspaper reported that the strike hit about 3.11pm and left scattered holes across a section of the runway, some roughly palm-sized. Engineers were sent to assess the damage, then cut out the affected pavement and laid replacement asphalt, Doherty said. He described damage of that kind as rare, despite lightning being common around the airport.
Doherty said the eastern runway continued operating while the western runway was unavailable. He reported an average afternoon delay of 48 minutes amid the storm activity, but said no flights were cancelled on Tuesday.
ABC News also reported the western runway's closure for repairs on Tuesday, confirming that lightning had damaged its surface. Its earlier account said the eastern runway had just reopened following a safety inspection.
Giant Hail Across the Region
As well as the runway damage, Tuesday's storms brought large hail to parts of south-east Queensland. The ABC reported Bureau of Meteorology confirmation of hailstones measuring between three and seven centimetres at Yamanto, Flinders View, Ripley and Mudgeeraba during Tuesday afternoon. The bureau classifies hail larger than five centimetres in diameter as giant hail.
Tuesday's severe thunderstorm warning covered Logan and parts of Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Brisbane City and the Scenic Rim, according to the ABC. It warned of damaging winds, potentially giant hail and heavy rainfall that could cause flash flooding.
How Storms Affect Airport Operations
In its standing guidance on storms, Brisbane Airport explains that runway and apron use can be slowed for safety even when the airport remains open. It says the duration of delays depends on storm severity and the number of scheduled flights, while severe weather along flight paths or at connecting airports can also affect Brisbane services.
The airport's warning-light system puts crews on alert when storm activity is within 10 nautical miles. Blue lights indicate activity within five nautical miles, requiring airline crew, ground crew and airport staff to leave the tarmac immediately. Baggage handling, catering, refuelling, cleaning and maintenance are then suspended, although aircraft may still land and take off.
For passengers travelling during a weather event, the airport's advice is to check flight status directly with their airline, which is best placed to provide schedule updates.