Flights to and from Stansted were cancelled, delayed or diverted yesterday evening after a hole was spotted in the runway.
The runway was closed between 5.30pm and 6.10pm for minor repairs.
"This temporary measure was deemed necessary for safety reasons," said an airport spokesman.
As a result, 11 flights were diverted – some to as far away as East Midlands Airport – and some departures were cancelled.
Passengers on cancelled services told the Standard newspaper they had to scrambled to re-book onto alternative flights.
