Originally Posted by
Sir George Cayley
Looking at the AAIB report I read it that the contractors downed tools for the 2006 Xmas break leaving "The Patch" exposed until their planned resumption in the new year. It was in that boring bit, between Boxing Day and New Years Eve, when you've played with all the kids pressies, fallen out with the in-laws and been to the Saturday football match that the major off's occured.
Had the contractor adjusted the programme to leave the runway with no Patch we probably wouldn't have anything to gossip about, but hey isn't hindsight wonderful.
I'm sure the contractors would have been delighted to have carried on working through this time, just as contractors (possibly the same ones) do on the railway at such times. The fact is that the mainstream UK construction industry shuts down for two weeks over Christmas/New Year (giving that big boost to travel aviation gets to Ireland and Poland at that time), and any works done during that time is with labour paid at a premium rate, which of course would have added to the price quoted. It's not just the contractors on site, but all the materials delivery plants for bulk concrete and asphalt, and the truckers, etc, that you need to keep open.
And yes, contractors are used to organising this sort of premium-rate work. It's actually more profitable for them than regular work, and many of their men like the extra money. But was the client at the airport owners prepared to pay that premium to continue work over this period ? You've got your answer.