News · The story so far
Suvarnabhumi's damaged runway and taxiways
Heavy rain and flooding have weakened surfaces at Suvarnabhumi, and repairs are being done in stages.
The background
Suvarnabhumi has operated for about 20 years. Its runway and taxiway layers sit on soft ground with a high water content, and Airports of Thailand says prolonged rain and flooding added water near the surface and weakened it. After a China Airlines jet's wheels stuck on 28 October, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand asked AOT to explain the cause and how it will prevent a repeat, and recommended non-destructive testing of runways, taxiways and aprons. AOT plans repairs in stages, mostly at night.
Updated 4 November 2026.
Timeline
- Suvarnabhumi closes taxiway E21 after Emirates A380 stuck
Repairs are due to finish about 8am on Friday 6 November, and the airport says it expects to handle traffic without further disruption. It is the second surface failure reported in a week.
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