Travelers flying into or out of San Francisco International Airport can expect delays from mid-January to July as part of a construction project to reposition two taxiways.
The project which is slated to commence on January 15, 2024, is part on an exercise to reposition taxiways “Delta” and “Tango”. The taxiways which currently crisscross each other will be removed and rebuilt as separate, non-intersecting taxiways.
According to release, the new layout will significantly improve safety for aircraft entering and vacating the runways, as well as meet current expected taxiway standards.
As a result, Runway 28 Left/10 Right will temporarily be out of service for five months from January 16, 2024 to July 1, 2024. With the bulk of arrivals usually being facilitated via either Runway 28 Left and/or Right, all arrivals will be limited to Runway 28 Right under normal circumstances during the construction period.
Delays Expected
With the overwhelming majority of domestic and international traffic using Runway 28 Left, the airport predicts that flights may be delayed by 30-60 minutes from January through April, and advises that airlines are revising their schedules for May and June.
Even though the airport and airlines anticipate delays up to one hour, it would be interesting to see what happens once the runway is closed. In 2019, Runway 28L was closed for three weeks to facilitate resurfacing works and other fixes. Back then, they predicted delays between 30-45 minutes, but in reality, some flights ended up being delayed by hours.
If you plan to fly into or out of SFO during the next five months, keep it mind that flights most likely may be delayed or adjusted. If you’re taking a connecting flight, check that you have ample time between connections, and possibly have a secondary plan in case things do not work in your favor.
[Featured Photo: duncan_idaho_2007/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0 Deed)]
