Frankfurt airport shuts newly renovated runway due to tyre damage

The freshly renovated north-west runway at Frankfurt's international airport was closed again just hours after reopening to flights.

Airlines had observed increased damage to aircraft tyres after landing on the runway.

Airport operator Fraport had recently cleaned the 2,800-metre-long concrete runway of rubber abrasion over the past few weeks and applied a new type of anti-slip surface.

Aviation industry publication Aero quoted an internal memo from German airline Lufthansa: "There is massive tyre wear on landing and an accumulation of tyres that are no longer usable after landing."

Lufthansa then informed the airport and air traffic control that its aircraft would no longer land on the north-west runway for safety reasons.

The largest German airport has two more runways and an additional runway that is only permitted for take-offs.

A Fraport spokesman said that regular operations were continuing at the moment without major disruptions but there could be delays. The spokesman said the company is working urgently to find a solution.