Monterey Regional Airport ILS repaired after flights delayed over weekend

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV)- UPDATE May 17, 2023- The Federal Aviation Administration gave an update on the instrument landing system that was being repaired and forced several night flights to be redirected the past few days.

The FAA told KION The Monterey Regional Airport’s instrument landing system has been repaired and is expected to be back online Wednesday evening.

Concerns rise regarding redirected flights at Monterey Regional Airport over the weekend

UPDATE May 16, 2023- Monday night a flight from Vegas coming into Monterey had to be redirected due to dense fog and the instrument landing system or ILS still being repaired. According to the executive director Michale La Pier, although the ILS will be repaired on Tuesday, they are waiting on the FAA for approval.

"It was a major inconvenience trying to figure out where I was going to stay," said Jeremy Segundo a passenger on the Vegas to Monterey flight.

His flight was supposed to land Monday night, however, he had to spend another night in Vegas to hop on the rescheduled 9 a.m. flight.

"I appreciate their concern for our safety but I wish they would reconsider having flights scheduled where they might land in foggy climate," said Marietta Bain, a passenger on the redirected flight.

La Pier says the ILS causing the flight issues will be repaired soon.

"We're just waiting for what's called flight check. That's when FAA actually flies an aircraft, one of theirs, to certify the approach and then it's back in use," La Pier said.

However, there is no telling when that will be.

"The scheduling of that flight check is what's currently in flux. We're not quite sure when that will happen. We're hopeful that it'll happen soon," said La Pier.

ORIGINAL STORY

Over mothers day weekend, flights flying into Monterey Regional airport were redirected due to dense fog and a malfunction with the instrument landing system or ILS, that did not allow pilots to safely land at the airport.

The executive director at the Monterey Regional Airport, Michael La Pier, says he couldn't remember the last time flights were unable to land at the airport. Over the weekend, about four or five flights had to get redirected.

"I was a little bit shocked about one, but four of them to be turned away was pretty godsmacked."

Travelers were shocked to hear flights were unable to land at the airport. One person is worried she will be redirected again.

"They canceled our flight out of Monterey. They canceled it to Saturday. And now we're going back home to Monterey but I'm thinking that they might try to divert us back here to Vegas," said Gabriela Gomez.

La Pier says they system that pilots use to land in low-visibility conditions called instrument landing system or ILS, was down at the start of a busy traveling weekend.

"It's a guidance system for the pilots so they know what altitude they should be at, what direction they should be flying. It's basically an invisible string," said La Pier. He went to say its an antena issue with the ILS causing it not to work properly.

"They have ways of malfunctioning. Unfortunately, it happened at a time when we also had dense fog. So, it was like a perfect storm," said La Pier.

He went on to say it would be unsafe for pilots to land without the system and they made the right decision to divert the flights.

Many people at the airport say it was unusual to hear about planes not being able to land, as 98% of flights leave and arrive as scheduled.

La Pier says he does not expect to see more redirected flights and expects the ILS to be repaired by tomorrow.