LEXINGTON, Ky. — Emergency crews responded promptly on Friday morning after a private business jet slipped off the runway at Blue Grass Airport at approximately 9 a.m. The aircraft ended up in the runway safety area, which led to an immediate closure of the runway.
Airport officials confirmed that there were no injuries related to the incident. Lauren Simmerman, the airport’s community relations manager, expressed relief at the lack of injuries, stating, “We’re super thankful, there were no injuries involved.”
The aircraft was successfully towed away by 10:20 a.m., allowing the runway to reopen just before 11 a.m. Simmerman noted, “Our first priority is to get the runway back open and operational as quickly as we can to have as little impact as possible on all of our passengers. So we act quickly.”
As normal operations resumed and the runway reopened, several departing and arriving flights experienced delays as a result of the incident. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the safety area surrounding the runway is designed to provide a buffer in situations where an aircraft may overrun, undershoot, or veer off the runway.
Edward Oladele, a traveler who was at the airport later that afternoon, expressed concern about the disruptions caused by the incident. “I was not very happy to hear that there was an incident this morning,” Oladele said, emphasizing the potential ripple effects such as missed connections and business meetings. “In terms of missed opportunities, business meetings that wouldn’t take place, flights that will get delayed, like if my flight is delayed, I may miss my connecting flight.”
Despite the inconvenience, Oladele remained grateful for the lack of injuries, stating, “It’s not a pleasant incident, but the fact that no one was hurt is really a relief for me.”
Blue Grass Airport officials have not yet confirmed the number of passengers on the private jet or the specific circumstances leading to the aircraft veering into the safety area. Simmerman encouraged all passengers to check their airline’s website or mobile app for real-time flight information and updates.
