Birmingham Airport is currently holding all flights due to an unspecified problem that is currently being investigated. Real-time data shows that all flights from the UK base are on hold, with some diverted, following an “aircraft incident” on the runway. The runway is expected to remain closed until around 6pm today, August 6, with passengers urged to check with their airline before travelling.

In a statement, the Birmingham Airport said: “Following an aircraft incident, the runway is temporarily closed. We apologise for the inconvenience this will cause. “We will keep passengers already at the airport informed, and those due to travel later today are advised to check the status of their flight before coming to the airport. We will continue to issue updates when we can.”

Pictures from the scene show emergency vehicles surrounding a light aircraft which appears to have no landing gear deployed.

Reports suggest the aircraft, which appears to be a Beech King Air, was en-route to Belfast when it declared an in-flight emergency and diverted to Birmingham.

All arrivals and departures at the airport have been paused until this evening. 

Several dozen flights were previously scheduled to leave and arrive the base between now and 6pm.

Birmingham Airport is the seventh-biggest in the UK and handled around 11.5 million passengers in 2023, according to its website.

It caters for around 30 airlines, offering more than 130 direct routes and 450 one-stop travel destinations.