PORTSMOUTH — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease remains closed Friday to all “commercial airline service,” because fire trucks are broken down, according to a statement released by Pease Development Authority officials.
Allegiant Air is the lone commercial airline that flies out of the Portsmouth airport. Attempts on Friday to reach Allegiant officials for comment were not immediately successful. Allegiant offered passengers another flight or a refund, according to a WMUR report, also stating passengers were given $250 vouchers to use on a future flight.
Airport officials are “working closely with its scheduled airlines to accommodate affected travelers,” they said in a statement. “Passengers who were scheduled to travel on Allegiant flights are encouraged to contact Allegiant Air’s customer service for further assistance.”
The lack of available firefighting vehicles led to a decision to ban all commercial and military “heavy aircraft” from landing or taking off at the airport, “due to the loss of fire suppression support provided by Pease Fire Department,” according to a statement and comments from the New Hampshire Air National Guard.
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“The closure affects large commercial and military aircraft only,” according to National Guard officials. The shutdown began late Thursday afternoon.
The guard is responsible for providing fire service at the airport, according to Lt. Col. Greg Heilshorn, a spokesperson for the New Hampshire Air National Guard.
“Pease Fire Department’s fleet of three fire suppression trucks have been down for repairs. Two loaners suffered mechanical issues this week: one on Tuesday, and the second, yesterday afternoon,” the National Guard said in the statement. “FAA rules require at least one fire suppression truck to be available for heavy aircraft to land or takeoff.”
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Heilshorn said late Friday morning that National Guard officials “have been actively seeking a replacement vehicle.”
“We’ve been reaching out to installations across New England,” he said.
“The issue is that our fire suppression trucks are uniquely equipped. It’s not like we’re able to use a normal fire truck to have on standby,” Heilshorn added.
Flights scheduled to arrive and depart Friday were canceled. Two commercial flights and two military training flights were impacted Thursday night, according to National Guard officials.
PDA said in their statement that that airport personnel remain “committed to the safety and well-being of our passengers and the efficient operation of our airport.”
“We are in close communication with the U.S. Air Force and are working to resolve the issue with the fire rescue services equipment as quickly as possible,” PDA officials said in a statement. Portsmouth International Airport “operates under a joint-use agreement with the U.S. Air Force, where the Air Force is responsible for providing emergency apparatus, including fire rescue services.”
Officials at both the PDA and National Guard said it is unclear how long it will take to resume normal flight operations at the airport.
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