Belfast City Airport reopens after emergency
The Aer Lingus plane needed to be removed from the runway following the emergency situation.
Belfast City Airport resumed flight operations on Monday after its runway was temporarily shut down due to a plane being damaged in a rough landing the day before. However, travelers should anticipate some delays.
The Aer Lingus plane needed to be removed from the runway following an emergency situation that occurred around 4:00 PM GMT on Sunday.
The aircraft, which is managed by Emerald Airlines on behalf of Aer Lingus, flew from Edinburgh to Belfast with a crew of four, but there were no passengers onboard.
Several flights were canceled on Monday morning, impacting routes to Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, and London City airports.
Images from the incident indicate that the front wheel of the plane may have collapsed while touching down.
Photos from the incident indicate that the nose wheel of the aircraft failed during landing; however, no injuries were reported among the crew members on board.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is looking into the situation and has dispatched a group of inspectors to the location.
A representative from the airport stated: "Travelers affected by the runway closure yesterday, as well as those flying today, should verify their flight's status with the airline before heading to the airport."
The holiday rush is in full effect at the airport.
"Airport Workers Endure A Long Night"
Claire Graham from BBC News NI is reporting live from Belfast City Airport.
Passengers are stretching their necks to get a better look at the departure boards, searching for information on any delays they might encounter.
I talked to a couple who were present when the front wheel of the plane gave way during its landing on Sunday.
The couple was on their flight, ready for takeoff, when the incident occurred. Fellow passengers watched nervously from their windows as emergency crews arrived at the plane.
They let out a breath of relief this morning when they got switched to a different flight, excited to spend Christmas with their family in England.
Airport staff have had a tough night, and early this morning, the damaged plane was finally cleared from the runway. However, it remains on the premises and hasn't been taken away yet.
A joyful gathering at the airport on Monday
On Sunday evening, a number of flights to and from the airport were either called off or redirected to Belfast International Airport or Dublin Airport.
On Sunday, ferry services between Northern Ireland and Scotland were called off, specifically the routes from Larne to Cairnryan and from Belfast to Cairnryan.
Stenaline announced one cancellation on Monday morning and reported a delay for its service between Cairnryan and Belfast.
On Monday morning, travel reporter Simon Calder stated that while the runway at Belfast City Airport is operational again, "flights are still not back to normal."
He mentioned that the shutdown of Holyhead port, along with various ferry cancellations and the circumstances at Belfast City Airport, are making it a challenging time for people heading home for Christmas.
There may be some flight delays at Belfast City Airport on Monday.
One of the passengers impacted by the flight changes was Hilary Bratton, who had anticipated her journey from Leeds Bradford Airport to last less than an hour on Sunday afternoon.
"While we were in the air, the captain announced that there was an issue at Belfast City," she shared with the BBC's Good Morning Ulster show.
Ms. Bratton shared that the announcement was made just around ten minutes prior to her flight's landing, by which time the cabin crew were already in their seats, preparing for arrival.
"It was a pretty tense situation. We spent quite a while just flying around Belfast City, and honestly, everything felt really quiet. Everyone seemed a bit on edge," she shared.
Hilary Bratton was one of the travelers on different flights who had to fly around the airport while dealing with the emergency situation.
"They Didn't See Us Coming"
Her flight arrived safely at Belfast International Airport; however, the airport was already dealing with a busier than normal timetable, resulting in longer wait times for the redirected passengers.
They were caught off guard, so we had to wait an additional 25 minutes for a bus to transport us from the plane to the terminal. After that, it took another 25 minutes for our luggage to arrive.
As a result, a lot of individuals had to begin organizing their return to their vehicles at Belfast City Airport.
Ms. Bratton mentioned that her fellow travelers only understood what had occurred with the Aer Lingus flight after they had touched down.
"When a few individuals mentioned it over the phone, everyone was somewhat startled to learn that there had been a pretty serious event at the city airport."
Photo credit: Wendy McGonagle
Wendy McGonagle, hailing from Londonderry, was scheduled to take a flight to Aberdeen on Sunday.
Wendy McGonagle, who lives in Londonderry, was scheduled to take a flight to Aberdeen on Sunday, but her journey to Scotland was called off.
She was on her way to visit her grandson, who had arrived four weeks early.
"I had an operation five weeks ago, so I had to wait until Friday to find out if I would be able to fly," she shared with BBC Radio Ulster's The Nolan Show.
"My grandson is still in the specialized program and won't be home for Christmas. However, as long as he continues to make progress, we're optimistic that everything will turn out alright."
Ms. McGonagle characterized the situation at the airport as "disordered," but she was able to secure a flight for Monday.
"I Crave A Good Night's Sleep"
Sam Reid and his mother returned home from London on Monday after their flight was called off on Sunday.
Sam Reid and his mom were scheduled to return to Belfast from London City Airport on Sunday evening.
While on their way to the airport, they received the unfortunate update that it had been shut down.
They headed to London City Airport, anticipating that they would be redirected to Dublin or perhaps another more straightforward destination, according to Mr. Reid.
"We discovered that it wasn't going to take place," Mr. Reid shared, noting that they were provided with hotel accommodations for the night before their flight from Heathrow on Monday.
Upon landing at Belfast City Airport, he remarked, "I just need some proper sleep and a decent meal, and I'll be perfectly fine."
Emma was scheduled to travel from Liverpool to Belfast City Airport on Sunday, but her flight was called off.
Emma planned to take a flight back home from Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
"My flight was supposed to arrive in the afternoon, but it ended up getting delayed and then canceled, so I had to spend the night in a hotel," she mentioned while arriving at Belfast City Airport on Monday morning.
"It felt like a terrible ordeal," she explained.
Understanding Positioning Flights Explained
The aircraft, carrying four crew members and no passengers, was on a repositioning flight.
This occurs when planes that are almost empty are flown to the airport where they will operate their next flight, with no passengers on board.
