On the morning of Monday 5 October 2026, Komatsu Airport (KMQ) in Komatsu, Ishikawa, shut its runway after inspectors found damaged pavement. The field is shared with Japan Air Self-Defense Force Komatsu Air Base. Civil arrivals and departures were disrupted: at least two Haneda flights diverted, and carriers reported further cancellations and delays.
What travellers saw
Asahi Shimbun reported that JASDF personnel found peeled asphalt with a hole about 40 cm by 40 cm and about 4 cm deep, then alerted the MLIT Komatsu Airport Office. The office closed the runway from about 10:40 for repairs; Asahi said work was expected to take around five hours, with a firm reopen time not yet set in that dispatch.
Kyodo (via Iwate Nippo) and Nippon TV said the closure was due to last until about 15:40. Airlines told Kyodo that one Japan Airlines Haneda–Komatsu flight diverted to Chubu Centrair and one ANA flight to Toyama; other services were cancelled or delayed. FastAlert/JX coverage named JAL185 as the Centrair diversion. Nippon TV said the cause of the crack was not yet known and that the Self-Defense Forces were investigating. Always re-check the airline app before leaving for the terminal.
If the schedule is critical
When a single-runway regional field closes for pavement work, same-day Hokuriku connections leave little slack. If you cannot wait for the next open seat into Komatsu, Toyama or Chubu, a private jet or empty leg can bypass airline recovery churn. Rahizi qualifies the brief and returns partner options.
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Facts from Asahi Shimbun, Kyodo/Iwate Nippo and Nippon TV (5 October 2026). Always verify with your carrier.