Airport Resumes to Normal Operations

Airport Resumes to Normal Operations Operations at the V.C. Bird International Airport returned to normal on Sunday following an incident in which a Virgin Atlantic plane was unable to turn on the runway the previous night.

An official at the airport who spoke to the CMC on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the incident happened when the Virgin Atlantic flight from San Juan landed at approximately 9:30PM.

The official said the pilot “apparently made a bad landing using up all of the runway and was unable to turn as it had gone beyond the turning point”.

Airport authorities immediately shut down the airport so that they could properly assess the situation and take steps to clear the runway.

About an hour later the aircraft was towed to the ramp parking area.

Several flights were affected including an American Eagle flight from San Juan which was cancelled.

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Regional Airline LIAT’s Corporate Communications Manager Desmond Brown said three of that carrier’s incoming flights were affected.

He explained that LI 770 from Barbados to Antigua had to hold in St. Lucia, while LI 329 from St. Maarten and LI 511 from San Juan had to hold in St. Kitts.

Brown said all of the affected LIAT flights arrived in Antigua Saturday night.

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Comments (5) Add Comment

oops
written by kirin, February 11, 2010

all the aircraft did was pa*s the turning point at the intersection between runway 07 and disused runway 10...he did not overshoot the runway..its not an uncommon thing that has happened...its just that the wheel base of most of the other aircraft types that operate to vc bird allow them to simply turn around on the runway, hence we don,t hear about these occurrences very often..but they happen. the usual turning pad at the end of runway 07 is blocked off pending completion of paving. the problem is...the media here sensationalizes information a lot hence a normal refusal to give the media any information regarding landing/departure times and procedures by authorities smilies/wink.gif

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written by Herby, February 08, 2010

If the pilot realise that being on his final apporach the airspeed was too fast why didn't he request from air traffic controllers to do a go around. The issue really and truly is that the flight according to what media report is saying was already over an hour late and the pilots will simply trying to do whatever they can to make up time. To sad to know finances tend to take priority over safety.

mishap cont'd
written by Tyrone, February 08, 2010

Oh and may i add this also according to the daily observer..The airport was reopened at about 10:20 pm.
So one is left to a*sume how many virgin atlantic aircrafts we had here saturday night and coincidentaly would have overshoot the runway one after the other.

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written by Tyrone, February 08, 2010

What surprises me though is like peoples age the different newspaper reporting on the same story just cant seem to get it right. Caribarena said the planed lanDd at approximately 9:30pm, sun online has it that it landed approximately 10:27pm. Observer in more precise terms noted..Edward Gilkes, director of operations at the airport, told this newspaper he received a report via a telephone call at about 8:30 pm, that the Virgin Atlantic aircraft had overshot the runway on landing, going beyond the turning point. So when did the plane really arrive?

problem again..
written by Iroy, February 08, 2010

Poor Antigua and Barb*da. It's time we put some Real Men and Women in-charge of this country's affairs, because the children that are now there creates all type of problems.....