Belfast City Airport has reopened to flights on Monday, December 23, 2024, following its temporary closure due to an emergency incident involving an Aer Lingus aircraft. The runway was closed after the plane, operated by Emerald Airlines, encountered difficulties during landing, leading to its nose wheel collapsing and damaging the aircraft.<\/p>
The incident unfolded at about 16:00 GMT on Sunday, December 22, when the plane was making its return trip from Edinburgh with only its crew on board, as it was being flown on a positioning flight with no passengers. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries among the four crew members.<\/p>
Images from the scene provided insights, showing the aircraft on its nose, prompting emergency procedures and significant disruptions at the airport. An investigation is now underway by the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB), which dispatched inspectors to assess what went wrong during landing.
Airport spokespeople issued warnings to passengers, “Passengers impacted by yesterday’s runway closure, or those due to travel today should check the status of their flight with the airline before making their way to the airport,” they advised, highlighting the chaos of the previous day.
Notably, the incident led to the cancellation of several flights on Monday, affecting routes heading to Birmingham, Leeds Bradford, and London City airports. Travel journalist Simon Calder noted, "The Emerald Airlines fleet, which mostly takes people to and from Belfast City Airport, has been reduced by one," indicating potential ripple effects on travel plans during this busy holiday season.
Indeed, it was not just flights from Belfast City Airport affected; several others had to be redirected to Belfast International Airport or even Dublin, resulting in more travel delays. One passenger, Hilary Bratton, whose flight from Leeds Bradford Airport was diverted, described the tense situation aboard her aircraft shortly before landing. "During the flight, the captain came on to say there was a problem at Belfast City," she recalled, adding, "It was very tense. We were just circling Belfast City for a long time, and to be honest, it was just very quiet... everybody was just a bit nervous."<\/p>
Many passengers arrived to what was described as “chaotic” conditions at the airport. With nearly 40 flights impacted, the aftermath left travelers scrambling to regroup. Wendy McGonagle from Londonderry, who was due to fly to see her grandson, who remains in special care, expressed her frustration at the delays caused by the incident, exclaiming, "My grandson is still in the special unit, he is not going to be home for Christmas, but as long as he keeps progressing, we hope it all will go well."<\/p>
Despite the messy aftermath, many were eager to reunite with family for the holidays after long nights spent waiting for their flights to be rescheduled. Passengers like Sam Reid and his mother managed to transfer to Heathrow to continue their travel to Belfast. Sam noted, "I need a good sleep and a good feed, and I’ll be all good," as he arrived at the reopened airport.
On the reopening day, the airport confirmed it was operating as normal, but highlighted the importance of checking flight status prior to arrival, reminding everyone of the impacts from the runway closure. They noted assistance from Dublin Airport, which sent airfield operations team members to help move the damaged plane and expedite the recovery process.
This disruption, exacerbated by serious weather conditions and travel cancellations across the region, highlights the vulnerabilities of airport operations during peak travel times. Travel journalist Simon Calder emphasized the urgency for smooth transit connections, stating, "You needed everything to be working really well... and we saw almost all the ferries yesterday on those routes cancelled."
With families hoping to reunite for the Christmas season amid these disruptions, the reopening allows travel to resume, albeit with caution as the affected aircraft remains under investigation. The next steps for travelers involve staying informed and prepared as they navigate their onward journeys this week, hoping the holidays will be filled with strong family reunions and joyous celebrations, rather than travel headaches.
