Passengers given warning update as UK airport hit by delays after emergency landing
Travellers from Birmingham Airport have seen cancellations and told to check with airlines first after crash on runway
Thousands of passengers are still facing disruption this morning after all flights were suspended at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday due to an emergency landing. Birmingham Airport reopened its runway late last night after a small aircraft made an emergency landing, leading to hours of delays and cancellations.
Three people from the aircraft were treated at the scene with one suffering minor injuries from the incident, which occurred at around 1.40pm on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said.
Although the airport has reopened its runway and resumed operations, weary passengers are struggling to reach their holiday destinations or to return home as further flights on Thursday are grounded or heavily delayed.
Other emergency services including police, fire and ambulance all attended the scene at the airport's runway.
Woodgate Aviation, the owner of the plane, said
The company said in a statement: 'The turbo-prop aircraft was on a flight to Belfast International Airport when it developed landing gear problems. The aircraft returned to Birmingham and made an emergency landing and the main under-carriage collapsed on touchdown.
'Two crew members and a passenger were on board but were uninjured. The aircraft remains on the runway and Woodgate Aviation will be co-operating fully with air accident investigators and airport services.
'We would like to pay tribute to the professionalism of our colleagues and the emergency services at the airport for their prompt action.'
The airport has asked that all passengers check flight details with their airlines and follow advice issued by them.
Footage and images shared on social media appeared to show a small white plane, understood to be a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air, lying flat on the airport tarmac.
Birmingham Airport first said at around 2.40pm that its runway was temporarily closed following the incident, before later suggesting flights would remain grounded until at least 8pm.
In an update posted on X shortly before 8pm on Wednesday evening, the airport said: 'Following the aircraft incident today, the runway has reopened and operations have resumed.'
It apologised for the disruption caused by the incident and said passengers must check flight details and follow advice issued by their airlines.
'Our teams have worked as quickly as possible, in line with strict protocols, which must be followed to ensure a safe reopening of the runway following a prolonged closure,' the airport added.
Flights originally scheduled to depart as far back as 2.10pm were still running at the airport after the runway re-opened, but other flights faced delays as late as 12.10am on Thursday, according to Birmingham Airport's website.
The Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) said it had started an investigation into the incident, with 'a multi-disciplinary team including inspectors with expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and recorded data' deployed to the airport.
A Beechcraft B200 Super King Air was also involved in a plane crash at London Southend Airport in July, which killed four people on board.
Many people in Europe trying to fly back to Birmingham were still facing lengthy delays after its reopening.
Diana Celella, an interior designer from Sutton Coldfield, was due to return from Lisbon on a Ryanair flight departing at 8.20pm after a week-long holiday in the Portuguese city with her husband Luigi, but saw online that the flight will now take off at 11.05pm.
The 60-year-old, who also works as a lecturer at Arts University Bournemouth, told the PA news agency: 'My husband and I have had a lovely holiday, so it's a real shame to end it with this delay. That said, if we do manage to take off tonight, we'll count ourselves lucky under the circumstances.
'The atmosphere among fellow passengers is mostly resigned — everyone we've spoken to recognises that it's out of Ryanair's control.
'However, there's been a lack of clear communication. We've had no updates from Ryanair since 6.20pm, and there have been no announcements at Lisbon Airport, which is frustrating.
'Fingers crossed we fly tonight.' Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander earlier said disruption at the airport was 'minimal' but she understood 'how frustrating' the situation was for passengers.
Earlier on Wednesday, West Midlands Police said in a post on X: 'We are at Birmingham Airport this afternoon after a small aircraft was involved in an emergency landing at around 1.40pm.
'Officers are among the emergency crews at the scene and one person has been reported to have minor injuries.
'The Civil Aviation Authority has been informed and the airport has suspended operations as an investigation is carried out.' West Midlands Ambulance Service said in a statement: 'We were called at 1.45pm to an incident involving a light aircraft at Birmingham Airport.
'Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart) paramedics and three paramedic officers were sent to the scene. 'Upon arrival we found three patients from the aircraft, all of whom were assessed and discharged at the scene.'
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Woodgate Aviation said one of its Beechcraft fixed-wing aircraft was involved in the incident.
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