Thousands of passengers were stranded at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday after a small aircraft made an emergency landing, forcing the closure of the runway. The incident occurred at approximately 1:40pm, involving a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air flying to Belfast. Three people were treated at the scene, with one suffering minor injuries, according to West Midlands Police.
The airport suspended operations until around 8pm, leading to at least 25 flight cancellations to European destinations. Incoming flights were diverted to Manchester and East Midlands airports. Passengers were advised to check with their airlines for updates, as check-in and security were temporarily closed.
Among those affected was Gunnar Lauridsen, 76, from Denmark, who feared missing his connecting flight to Billund. Camile Monteleone, 30, was waiting to fly to Barcelona but had no information from Ryanair. Faye Melhuish, 38, arriving from Spain with her baby, was diverted to East Midlands and had to take a coach to Birmingham.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the disruption as minimal but acknowledged passenger frustration. The Air Accidents Investigations Branch has launched an investigation, deploying a multi-disciplinary team. Woodgate Aviation confirmed the aircraft had landing gear problems. The Civil Aviation Authority reminded airlines of their duty to provide food, drink, and accommodation if delays extend overnight.
