San Diego Airport Runway Reopens After Aircraft Incident Causes Flight Disruptions
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – San Diego International Airport’s runway reopened at 9:20 p.m. wednesday, ending a ground stop that began earlier in the evening and impacted hundreds of travelers. The disruption stemmed from an issue with a private aircraft experiencing difficulty with its landing gear while attempting takeoff.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated the ground stop at 6:30 p.m., forcing all incoming flights too divert to alternative airports. While no injuries were reported from the stalled aircraft, the incident created meaningful travel delays and cancellations. Passengers are advised to verify their flight status before heading to the airport. The airport’s arrivals and departures page was temporarily unavailable Wednesday night, displaying a message stating, “This feature is not currently available, please check back soon.”
Passengers faced considerable stress and logistical challenges as an inevitable result of the disruptions. Essa Arzo recounted, “We got to the airport and thay said ther was a small plane that crashed on the airport and hundreds of flights got diverted to other airports. Our flight got canceled, but luckily, the United person helped us to catch a flight for tomorrow from LAX, but we have to find a ride now to go to LAX.”
The ripple effects extended to local hotels, which quickly reached capacity. Keith St. Peter explained, “When I got back to the hotel, which is not far from the airport, they said they had sold out. So in the time that I had rebooked to the time I got to the airport, which was probably, you know, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, they had booked up again.”
Airport officials continue to work to restore normal operations and accommodate affected passengers. Travelers are encouraged to check with their airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules.
