Storm Isha forces pilot to do 'violent landing' as passengers cheer in relief

22 January 2024 , 09:43

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Planes struggled to land in the ferocious winds (Image: Andrew McCaren/LNP)

Passengers cheered in relief as they touched back down on Earth after a "violent" journey as Storm Isha causes widespread aviation chaos.

Storm gusts which hit 90mph last night and this morning have had a destructive impact on flight schedules, with planes having to divert hundreds of miles after being unable to land at certain airports due to the power of the wind.

One Ryanair plane from Manchester came within metres of touching down at Dublin Airport, only to abandon the landing and divert 500 miles to Paris, where the calmer weather made hitting the tarmac possible. They spent 2.5 hours on the runway in France before flying back to Ireland.

One person on the flight wrote online: "Flew from Manchester to Dublin today, only we didn't land in Dublin, or back to Manchester. Bonjour from Paris!"

Have you been impacted by the storm? Email [email protected]

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A British Airways flight on its way from Ibiza to London City Airport was diverted in the winds, with nervous passengers erupting into applause when the gush-gattered plane eventually touched down. Scores of passengers were left stranded at Bristol Airport overnight as their flights were either delayed or cancelled.

Arrival and departure boards show delays and cancellations this morning at a number of airports including Dublin, London Gatwick, Birmingham, Heathrow and a number of others.

Graeme McQueen, media relations manager at DAA, the operator of Dublin Airport, told the Mirror: "Dublin Airport is open and operational today. Winds associated with Storm Isha have eased this morning, while wind direction has changed to a more favourable westerly direction, allowing for a smooth first wave of flights.

"However, with some aircraft still out of position, a total of 29 flights have been cancelled so far today, including 16 arriving flights and 13 departures. This is in addition to the 166 inbound and outbound flights that were cancelled by airlines on Sunday. In addition on Sunday, 36 flights opted to divert away from Dublin Airport to other airports, while 34 aircraft performed go-arounds."

Those due to fly today are advised to check with their airline for a status update before heading to the airport and re-book cancelled flights online rather than at the airport, to avoid making the terminal busier.

Passengers were stranded at Bristol Airport overnight (LT1Media)

There were 14 cancellations leaving Manchester Airport yesterday due to air traffic control restrictions and Logainair cancelling its schedule.

A spokesperson for Manchester Airport explained why planes were being sent on such long diversions. They said: "You’ll have seen coverage of flights to Dublin being sent to France. That was because of NATS advising operators to look outside the UK when diverted.

"Where planes are diverted to Manchester we make sure there is a facility to look after disembarked passengers but it’s for airlines to decide to disembark. Airlines, some in particular, are sometimes loathed to do this because it effectively cancels the flight and they end up with displaced planes. And just to add, we’re advising passengers to allow extra time to get to the airport and to stay in touch with their airline."

London Gatwick was also impacted by the storms. Its spokesperson said: A spokesperson for London Gatwick said “Flights are mostly back to normal this morning. But we would advise passengers to check with their airline before travelling. Yesterday we managed to accept the vast majority of scheduled flights, but 22 were diverted due to weather. Additionally, London Gatwick accepted five flights diverted from other UK airports.”

EasyJet has warned passengers to expect "some knock-on impact this morning, as a number of aircraft are out of position" following cancellations and delays yesterday.

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“We are doing all possible to minimise the impact on our customers, providing those on cancelled flights with options to rebook or receive a refund, as well as hotel accommodation and meals where required," a spokesperson for the airline said.

Milo Boyd