Questions raised over new runway after flights diverted due to fog
The recent diversion of flights arriving at Kuwait International Airport to neighboring countries due to dense fog has sparked concerns over the specifications of the newly opened third runway.
The runway, inaugurated just two days before the incident, was designed to handle aircraft in low visibility conditions of 50 meters.
However, during the event, visibility reportedly dropped below 100 meters, according to the Public Authority for Civil Aviation, reports Al-Jarida daily.
A contract signed in March 2021 with a Canadian company for KD 3 million covered the design, development, training, and maintenance of the third runway, including the supply of CAT IIIB navigation equipment.
This system, already in use at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports, allows aircraft to land in extreme low-visibility conditions, relying heavily on automatic landing systems.
Typically, CAT IIIB supports landings with visibility between 50 and 200 meters, and in some cases as low as 40–50 meters if runway lighting is optimal.
The incident has prompted questions about whether the runway was implemented according to the original specifications or if modifications led to reliance on older systems, potentially affecting aircraft safety during severe weather conditions.
