Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 204
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
While flying from ZZZ to BWI; we learned through NOTAMS; ATIS; Controllers; etc. that the BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS was not available today. Although we were not certain; our understanding was that the BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS was not available because; for whatever reason; the FAA had not re-certified the approach following the maintenance which recently occurred on BWI Runway 10/28. If the BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS had been available; it is likely that the scores of Company jets that diverted to Buffalo; Pittsburgh; Norfolk; and other divert fields would have landed safely in BWI with minimal disruption to the BWI flight schedule and to our passengers. As a direct result of BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS being unavailable combined with the low visibility and ceilings (fog) throughout the day; most of the flight schedule was cancelled at one of our busiest airports (BWI). In order to conduct safe and efficient flight operations; all components of the airspace system need to be working properly; particularly when the weather starts to change for the worse. We sat in the same jet for over 14 hours during this unfortunate series of events. We flew from ZZZ to BWI (no landing) then diverted to ZZZ1. We flew from ZZZ1 to BWI (no landing) then diverted to ZZZ (second diversion with the same passengers) with 13 other unscheduled diversions at ZZZ1. There are only two Company gates at ZZZ1. Fourteen jets needed to park within close proximity to one another on the ZZZ1 ramp. With the assistance of the ZZZ1 Station Manager and his staff; we were able to safely disembark hundreds of passengers before the three-hour FAA drop-dead limit. The increased risks with this evolution included many aircraft going missed approach; many aircraft diverting; jets on the ground maneuvering in very close proximity to one another; many passengers disembarking jets on unfamiliar jet stairs; passengers walking (escorted) across active flight lines; etc. To my knowledge; there were no injuries or mishaps. Even so; we accepted increased risks; lost large sums of money; inconvenienced our customers; and pushed our flight crews (and ground crews) to the limits of their duty day. My question is this; did the FAA; BWI Airport; and Company leadership do everything in its power to re-certify BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS following the maintenance effort on that runway? If not; can we request that the BWI Runway 10 CAT II/III ILS be re-certified as soon as possible?
Air Carrier pilot voiced concern regarding the FAA's failure to re-certify the ILS CAT II/III ILS system at BWI after runway maintenance had been completed; noting the significant disruption caused by this event.