Passengers escaped unharmed when a Thomson Airways aircraft overshot the runway at Newcastle airport in bad weather last night.
The Boeing 737-800 with 188 passengers arriving from Arrecife in the Canary Islands “had gone very slightly off the runway,” according to local fire service reports.
All passengers and crew disembarked safely, and the airport was temporarily closed while the aircraft was moved. An airport spokesman said the aircraft was undamaged.
A statement on the airport’s website said passengers should arrive at the airport as normal on Friday but contact their airline with any concerns. A number of early morning flights today were cancelled.
The statement said: “Newcastle International Airport is open and flights are arriving and departing.
“The bad weather resulted in some disruption at times during Thursday and services may continue to be affected.
“Passengers due to travel from the airport should still arrive as planned. We would recommend you account for the extra time it will take to reach the airport when planning your journey.
“If you have concerns about the status of your flight, please contact your airline.”
Up to six inches of snow had fallen on Newcastle over the previous 24 hours as UK experienced its earliest widespread snowfall for 17 years.
The Air Accident Investigation Branch will start an inquiry into the incident.
- Get the latest flight information at newcastleairport.com