Thousands of passengers faced severe delays and cancellations at Birmingham Airport after a light aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing, shutting the runway for over six hours.
The Beechcraft fixed-wing aircraft, owned by Woodgate Aviation, encountered landing gear failure during a flight from Birmingham to Belfast. The plane’s main undercarriage collapsed upon touchdown, but the two crew members and a passenger onboard escaped without serious injuries.
The incident, which occurred early Wednesday afternoon, led to the immediate closure of the airport’s only runway. Operations resumed around 19:30 BST once the aircraft was removed.
The first flight to depart after reopening was a Wizz Air service to Bucharest, originally scheduled for 14:10. Meanwhile, several flights began allowing check-in as airport services resumed.
Passengers expressed frustration after flights were cancelled at short notice, some moments before boarding. An airport spokesperson advised travelers to check with their airlines for the latest updates and apologized for the disruption.
“Our teams worked swiftly and in strict adherence to safety protocols to reopen the runway,” the statement read.
Images on social media showed the small aircraft stranded on the runway, surrounded by emergency response vehicles equipped with cranes. Agencies including West Midlands Police, Fire Service, and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch attended the scene, with an investigation now underway.
The disruption caused at least 10 flight cancellations, delays of over five hours, and the diversion of more than 20 incoming flights to other airports.
Faye, a passenger traveling with her partner and four children, was among those affected. The family’s Jet2 holiday to Antalya was cancelled after hours of waiting, with only a £10 food voucher per person provided. “My children were sobbing and crying,” she said. “We’re stuck here waiting for our baggage, and now our kids won’t have a holiday.”
Similarly, James Conibere and his family of eight, en route to Malta for a retirement celebration, faced hours of waiting with limited information. “People are getting angry and agitated by the lack of updates,” he told the BBC. The family, like many others, relied on news reports for information, with Ryanair providing food vouchers. Photo by JimmyGuano, Wikimedia commons.