Warsaw-Modlin Airport's issue aroused public opinion's interest at the end of 2012, when the airport was closed due to defective runway surface. On the 18th June 2013 the general contractor has completed the works on two runway thresholds and handed it over to the investor. As a representative of Erbud company informs - The works on the runway have been realised in accordance with the rules of art on the basis of cement concrete formulae. The investor's approval of the formulae has advanced the date of beginning the works on the runway and the realisation of the whole project.
The original agreement about construction of the air part of Warsaw-Modlin Airport was signed on the 14th September 2010, and the cost of works amounted to PLN 87 million net. The general contractor, Erbud S.A. company, was obliged to carry out, among others, modernisation of the runway. Bud-Invent sp. z o.o. became a substitute investor. An associate contractor responsible for realisation of runway concrete thresholds was DSH – Dospravni stavby a.s., an entity dependent on Metrostav construction group. In June 2011 DSH presented the investor the surface formula, which was accepted.
The runway was implemented by the associate contractor in the period from June to November 2011. According to the information provided by Erbud company, preanalysis of investment realisation process excluded faulty performance and confirmed that on the basis of documentation and samples it can be stated that the materials used fulfil the standards defined and required by Polish law. On the 6th June 2012 Mazowowiecki Voivodeship Construction Site Inspector (MWINB) gave an occupancy permit.
The problems arose at the end of 2012, when MWINB forbade using a part of the runway, on the basis of Art. 66 section 1 item 1 and section 2 in conjunction with Art. 83 section 3 [D4] the Act of 7 July 1994 of Construction Law, i.e.: „a statement that a structure is used in a way that jeopardizes people's life or health, security of property or environment(...)”.
Repairs lasted till the 5th January, and from the 16th January the airport was to resume its work. However, according to expert's statement of MWINB, the repairs were not sufficient. Piotr Okienczyc, the President of Warsaw-Modlin Airport Board emphasised then – As we can see, the substitute investor selected in a tender did not prove himself, therefore we have decided to redouble our supervision over the contractor. In order to do this, we established cooperation with additional specialists, who had worked at constructing many airports in our country. Moreover, so as to be sure of the accepted technologies, we want to consult the plans of ERBUD S.A. with voivodeship construction site inspector. He also payed attention to claims to general contractor and substitute investor – We have legal report, which confirms legitimacy of our claims from both companies involved in realisation of the runway. We will claim both indemnity for damage and lost profits.
In February Erbud company presented repairs schedule, which was initially considered to be too long. On the 20th February the general contractor presented a revised schedule, which was this time accepted by the Airport Board. Simultaneously, there appeared different opinions of repair technologies. An official statement of the investor in this matter was: The documents sent (…) to Warsaw-Modlin Airport by ERBUD include a schedule of repairs on runway threshold in concrete technology, that is the one expected by the airport. At the same time, the contractor still recommends asphaltic concrete technology, which Warsaw-Modlin Airport does not take into consideration.
At the beginning of March 2013 the investor issued a statement, in which he informed – The Board of Warsaw-Modlin Mazovia Airport Company regrets to inform that once again from the time of revealing defects of the runway, the representatives of ERBUD SA attempt to negotiate and exert pressure on Company's Board through the media. Simultaneously, commencement of the works was scheduled on the 11th March and their completion on the 31st May 2013. Commissioning the runway to the investor took place on the 18th June 2013.
The general contractor issued the cost calculation, which claimed that the works on the turn of December and January 2013 amounted to PLN 450 000, the cost which will be covered by the associate contractor, DSH firm.
Closing the airport caused a lot of losses for business, which had flourished around the new airport. In addition, two airlines which have began operations on Warsaw-Modlin Airport – Wizzair and Ryanair – had to move them to Warsaw Chopin Airport for the time of repairs.