Birmingham Airport reopens after false call about 'suspicious item' on plane suspended flights

Birmingham Airport has now reopened after it "temporarily suspended operations", with no flights going in or out following a security incident on a plane.

It follows reports of a suspicious item being found on an aircraft.

The Aer Lingus Regional aircraft, which declared an emergency, was scheduled to fly between Birmingham Airport and Belfast.

West Midlands Police said officers attended the airport after a suspicious item was found on the flight.

The plane was diverted shortly after take-off and landed back at Birmingham Airport just after 4pm.

All passengers and crew were evacuated safely and specialist officers, including the dog unit, searched the plane.

The police statement added: "The incident is now being dealt as a false call with very good intent and the item is not suspicious.

"The safety of all was our primary concern and there is no wider risk to the public and the airport re-opened at 6pm.

"We would like to thank the public for their patience and support while we dealt with this incident."

Officials at the airport are encouraging passengers to continue to turn up for flights.

Trains between Birmingham New Street and Coventry have also been suspended due to emergency services dealing with an incident at the airport.

Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry and London Northwestern services have been affected.

Departure boards on the Birmingham Airport website currently show departing flights as delayed.

Speaking earlier, a Birmingham Airport spokesperson said: “Birmingham Airport has temporarily suspended operations due to a security incident on an aircraft.“The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew have disembarked.“All customers due to travel should make their way to the airport and check in as normal.”

An spokesperson from Aer Lingus :"We can confirm that an undeclared item discovered on Aer Lingus Regional flight EI3647, operated by Emerald Airlines, from Birmingham to Belfast today was not a security risk. Our teams are currently working to accommodate impacted passengers."

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