Crews at Charlottetown Airport are giving one of the runways a facelift, and that will mean a couple of days with some flights cancelled.

The runway work is being done outside the summer high season and before it gets cold, says Charlottetown Airport CEO Doug Newson. (CBC)

The shorter of the two runways hasn't had any major work done to it, in about 25 years. It's closed for most of the summer and the longer, main runway is being used instead for all take offs and landings.

“It's like repaving a highway except that it's a little wider and there's some more depth that has to go into because of the weight of the aircraft,” said airport CEO Doug Newson.

“This should do us now for the next couple of decades, at least in terms of major infrastructure work on that runway.”

In addition to replacing the asphalt surface of the runway, some new electrical infrastructure is being installed. There will be new edge lighting on the runway and upgraded navigational aids.

"When it’s done it will essentially be a new runway," said Newson.

The work will cause some service interruption. The airport asked WestJet to cancel their flights to and from Charlottetown on September 5 and 6 because of the construction. On those days work will be done at the intersection of the two runways, requiring a shortening of the main runway.

WestJet's 737 planes need the full length of the runway to land.

The work won't impact Air Canada because they use smaller aircraft that can operate on the shortened runway.