By Annie Smith
Air passengers were left grounded yesterday afternoon (Wednesday) at Stornoway airport when a Flybe plane was damaged on the run way.
Passengers had been due to fly to Glasgow at 2pm on a specially drafted-in Q 400 aircraft – which is larger than the normal planes, holding 70 passengers instead of the usual 34-seater Saab aircraft – in an effort to meet demand from the public for flights to Stornoway and to clear a backlog following the cancellation of an earlier Edinburgh flight.
Many Edinburgh flights were disrupted yesterday due to weather conditions at the capital’s airport.
However these plans went pear-shaped when an ambilift (used to aid passengers boarding the flight with mobility issues) collided with the rear side of the plane and it could not continue with its planned flight. Damage to the aircraft was minimal and no one was hurt in the incident.
A Flybe engineer checked the plane for damage this morning and has given their ok for it to go back into service.
Most of the stranded passengers have been able to continue with their journeys with Edinburgh passengers expected to be on a flight by 1pm this afternoon.
A spokesperson for Loganair said: “There have been very significant weather conditions that have led to a number of flights being disrupted and some cancellations.
“Loganair has worked extremely hard to rearrange flights so that passengers are still able to travel in time for Christmas.
“Where there have been delays Loganair has taken its responsibilities to passengers seriously providing food, refreshment and accommodation where necessary.”
Hebrides Today brings you the latest news from Stornoway and the Western Isles
