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Birmingham airport latest: Delays continue after emergency landing closure | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Birmingham Airport's runway was closed after a plane made an emergency landing | Birmingham Airport's runway was closed after a plane made an emergency landing |
Passengers continue to face hours of delays following the closure of Birmingham Airport's runway, after a plane was forced to make an emergency landing. | Passengers continue to face hours of delays following the closure of Birmingham Airport's runway, after a plane was forced to make an emergency landing. |
The runway was shut on Wednesday afternoon when the small aircraft returned to the airport after it's landing gear failed on a flight to Belfast. | The runway was shut on Wednesday afternoon when the small aircraft returned to the airport after it's landing gear failed on a flight to Belfast. |
It remained closed for more than six hours while staff worked to remove the plane, with thousands of airline passengers stranded or diverted. | It remained closed for more than six hours while staff worked to remove the plane, with thousands of airline passengers stranded or diverted. |
The runway reopened after 19:30 BST, when the plane was moved. The first flight departed shortly after, having originally been scheduled to leave at 14:10. | The runway reopened after 19:30 BST, when the plane was moved. The first flight departed shortly after, having originally been scheduled to leave at 14:10. |
Is Birmingham Airport open and are there delays? | Is Birmingham Airport open and are there delays? |
In a notice on its website, Birmingham Airport said it was now "operating to its normal schedule" but warned that passengers might face some residual delays. | In a notice on its website, Birmingham Airport said it was now "operating to its normal schedule" but warned that passengers might face some residual delays. |
The online departures list on Thursday morning showed several flights leaving later than scheduled. | The online departures list on Thursday morning showed several flights leaving later than scheduled. |
The 05:55 BST Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, for example, departed at 09:57, while the 06:30 TUI service to Kefalonia was estimated to take off at about 12:30. | The 05:55 BST Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt, for example, departed at 09:57, while the 06:30 TUI service to Kefalonia was estimated to take off at about 12:30. |
Other flights have experienced shorter delays, ranging from about 35 minutes to a couple of hours. | Other flights have experienced shorter delays, ranging from about 35 minutes to a couple of hours. |
What happened and was anyone injured? | What happened and was anyone injured? |
According to aircraft charter and management company, Woodgate Aviation, one of its Beechcraft fixed-wing planes developed landing gear problems on its journey to Belfast after taking off from Birmingham at 13:11. | According to aircraft charter and management company, Woodgate Aviation, one of its Beechcraft fixed-wing planes developed landing gear problems on its journey to Belfast after taking off from Birmingham at 13:11. |
The aircraft returned to Birmingham, landing at 13:58. | The aircraft returned to Birmingham, landing at 13:58. |
"The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main undercarriage collapsed on touch down," the company said. | "The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main undercarriage collapsed on touch down," the company said. |
It confirmed two crew members and one passenger were on board but were not injured. | It confirmed two crew members and one passenger were on board but were not injured. |
West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and Birmingham Airport Police were among the agencies at the scene. | West Midlands Police, West Midlands Fire Service and Birmingham Airport Police were among the agencies at the scene. |
Footage shows plane landing in Birmingham Airport | Footage shows plane landing in Birmingham Airport |
Birmingham Airport said its teams worked as quickly as possible to move the aircraft in line with "strict protocols". | Birmingham Airport said its teams worked as quickly as possible to move the aircraft in line with "strict protocols". |
A spokesperson said the protocols had to be followed to "ensure a safe reopening of the runway following a prolonged closure". | A spokesperson said the protocols had to be followed to "ensure a safe reopening of the runway following a prolonged closure". |
Woodgate said it would co-operate fully with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which confirmed it was looking into the incident. | Woodgate said it would co-operate fully with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which confirmed it was looking into the incident. |
An AAIB statement said a multi-disciplinary team of inspectors was deployed to the site. | An AAIB statement said a multi-disciplinary team of inspectors was deployed to the site. |
How did the incident affect passengers? | How did the incident affect passengers? |
With the closure lasting for more than six hours, many passengers suffered significant delays or saw their flights diverted to other airports. | With the closure lasting for more than six hours, many passengers suffered significant delays or saw their flights diverted to other airports. |
At least 10 flights due to depart from the airport were cancelled, while others were delayed by more than five hours. | At least 10 flights due to depart from the airport were cancelled, while others were delayed by more than five hours. |
Twenty which were due to land at Birmingham were diverted to other airports. | Twenty which were due to land at Birmingham were diverted to other airports. |
Some passengers told the BBC that their flights were cancelled "moments before boarding" on Wednesday afternoon. | Some passengers told the BBC that their flights were cancelled "moments before boarding" on Wednesday afternoon. |
Birmingham Airport said it understood the frustration and apologised for the disruption. | Birmingham Airport said it understood the frustration and apologised for the disruption. |
Faye and her family's holiday was cancelled altogether | Faye and her family's holiday was cancelled altogether |
Faye, who was travelling with her partner and four children, said they found out about the incident on Facebook. | Faye, who was travelling with her partner and four children, said they found out about the incident on Facebook. |
They had been due to fly to Antalya in Turkey with Jet2 at 14:55. While waiting at the airport, the family was given £10 per person by the airline for food and drinks. | They had been due to fly to Antalya in Turkey with Jet2 at 14:55. While waiting at the airport, the family was given £10 per person by the airline for food and drinks. |
She subsequently received a text message saying the holiday had been cancelled and there would be a full refund in four to five days. | She subsequently received a text message saying the holiday had been cancelled and there would be a full refund in four to five days. |
She and her family were waiting to collect their baggage, along with about 400 other people, her children "sobbing and crying". | She and her family were waiting to collect their baggage, along with about 400 other people, her children "sobbing and crying". |
"We are stuck here waiting for our baggage and it's boiling hot... and now our kids aren't going to have a holiday," she said at the time. | "We are stuck here waiting for our baggage and it's boiling hot... and now our kids aren't going to have a holiday," she said at the time. |
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |