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Flight to Scotland forced to abandon its landing & divert due to airport issues
A JET2 flight bound for Edinburgh was forced to abandon its landing after pilots were notified about a runway issue at the airport.
The plane was forced to divert mid-air just as it began approaching the airport in the early hours of this morning.
The aircraft was travelling from Antalya, Turkey, to Edinburgh when the alarm was raised shortly after 2am.
Flight LS710 departed the popular holiday hotspot shortly after 8.10pm (UTC) and was due to land in the capital city at around 2.10am.
But it was forced to divert to Glasgow after staff at the airport told the crew that one of the runways was closed.
Images from FlightRadar24 show the plane attempted to approach Edinburgh Airport but began circling over the Scottish Borders at 1.58am.
The aircraft made two loops in the sky before it changed course and headed towards Glasgow Airport instead.
It touched down on the tarmac at 2.26am.
It was a nightmare getting home
Jet2 passenger
A passenger on the plane told the Scottish Sun that the diversion quickly turned into a “nightmare” after they had to make their own way back to Edinburgh.
The holidaygoer, from Glasgow, explained that they had to pay for a taxi out of their own pocket to get to Edinburgh after parking at the airport.
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And because of the extra time added on by the diversion, they had to pay an overcharge fee to get their car before driving back to Glasgow again.
They said: “It was a nightmare getting home.
“We were meant to land at 2.20am in Edinburgh but the flight got diverted to Glasgow due to a problem on the runway.
“We then had to get a taxi – at our own expense – from Glasgow to Edinburgh to get our car.
“We then had to pay an overcharge fee at the car park and then drive back!
We would like to apologise to all customers for any inconvenience caused, which was completely beyond our control
Jet2 spokesperson
“What a nightmare”.
Bosses at Jet2 confirmed that the diversion was caused by a runway closure at Edinburgh Airport.
The firm added that all customers were offered ground transportation, but some opted to make their own way in a taxi.
They explained that anyone who chose that option will be refunded the cost of the taxi journey.
A Jet2 spokesperson said: “Following a runway closure at Edinburgh Airport, flight LS710 diverted to Glasgow Airport last night.
“Customers received ground transportation back to Edinburgh Airport.
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“We would like to apologise to all customers for any inconvenience caused, which was completely beyond our control.”
Edinburgh Airport has been contacted for comment.