Goose Bay, an airport in the eastern Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, has warned pilots operating aircraft heavier than the Dash 8s and DHC-6 Twin Otters that operate scheduled flights there to stay away at least until mid-August due to its deteriorating runways.

Also used as a Canadian Forces Base, the airport's two asphalt runways, 08/26 measuring 3,368 metres, and 16/34 measuring 2,920 metres, have cracked in places by the stress of the spring's warming temperatures and thawing, CBC News reported.

The surface and the underlying concrete have both suffered cracking, which in turn has caused pieces of the runway and protective sealant to come loose.

"We must be very vigilant, and we ensure that we look at the condition of the airfield on a regular basis, multiple times a day, to ensure that we catch any loose debris that could cause problems," said base commander Lt.-Col. Stephane Racle.

Goose Bay serves as an occasional refuelling and maintenance stop for large aircraft on scheduled transatlantic routes between major hubs, and it is these that the airport is temporarily warning away.

PAL Airlines (Canada) (PB, St. John's) and Air Canada (AC, Montréal Trudeau) operate scheduled routes to the airport using Dash 8 and Twin Otter equipment. Deer Lake, NL, Halifax, and Wabush are the three most served destinations out of Goose Bay according to the ch-aviation capacity module.