Birmingham Airport update: Travellers stranded as emergency landing disrupts flights
Passengers at Birmingham airport last year. Photograph: Jacob King/PA
Birmingham Airport has resumed operations after a small aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing on Wednesday afternoon, leading to the closure of the airport’s only runway for several hours and widespread disruption to travel plans.
The aircraft, a Beechcraft B200 Super King Air operated by Woodgate Aviation, had departed for Belfast but was forced to return shortly after takeoff due to a malfunction with its landing gear. The plane made a difficult landing around 1:40pm, during which its undercarriage collapsed. Three people were on board; all received medical attention at the scene, with one sustaining minor injuries. All have since been discharged.
The incident led to a ripple effect of cancellations and delays, affecting dozens of domestic and international flights. At least 25 departures to destinations across Europe were canceled, and some inbound flights had to be diverted to nearby Manchester and East Midlands airports. Thousands of passengers were left stranded, facing uncertainty and long waits at the terminal.
Flight operations remained suspended for most of the day, with the airport confirming shortly before 8pm that the runway had reopened and departures had begun again. During the closure, check-in and security were also temporarily halted. The airport issued an apology via social media, advising passengers to contact their airlines for updates and to check flight statuses before heading to the terminal.
The emergency landing and its consequences are now under investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). A multi-disciplinary team of inspectors specializing in flight operations, engineering, and data analysis has been deployed to assess the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) confirmed that airlines are expected to provide affected passengers with food, drink, and accommodation if overnight delays occur due to the incident.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the overall disruption as “minimal” but acknowledged the frustration many passengers experienced. Several travelers shared their ordeals, including Gunnar Lauridsen, 76, from Denmark, who feared he would miss his connection to Billund due to the delays, and Camile Monteleone, 30, who was left waiting at the airport without updates about her flight back to Barcelona.
Others, like Faye Melhuish, 38, were directly impacted mid-flight. Returning from Spain with her six-month-old daughter, her plane was forced to circle Birmingham Airport before ultimately being diverted to East Midlands. “It’s her first time on a plane and her first time on a coach,” she remarked, trying to remain optimistic despite the unexpected detour.
West Midlands Police and emergency services were quick to respond to the scene. The airport coordinated with the appropriate authorities, including the Civil Aviation Authority, throughout the day as safety assessments and investigations began.
While the immediate threat has passed and operations have resumed, the full investigation is expected to determine the root cause of the landing gear failure and whether further safety measures will be required moving forward. Woodgate Aviation confirmed that the incident involved one of its aircraft and attributed the emergency landing to a problem with the landing gear system.
Passengers are urged to stay updated on their flight schedules through official airline channels as the airport works to clear the backlog and return to normal operations.
