Winter Storms: Omaha's Airport Closed After Plane Skids Off Runway
A Southwest Airlines plane skidded off a runway Friday afternoon at Omaha's Eppley Airfield (OMA) as winter storm Harper slammed into the Mid-West with ice, snow and wind.
The airport said that Southwest flight 1643 slid off runway 14R after landing in Omaha. There were reportedly no injuries among the passengers on board the 737-800. "Airport fire crews are working with Southwest to deplane the passengers and take them to the terminal," Eppley Airfield tweeted.
The flight touched down at 2:02pm, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24. Southwest said the plane "safely slid" off the runway while it was taxiing.
In another statement on Twitter just after 2:30pm on Friday, the airport said that "all flights are currently suspended."
Passengers on board the flight said the airport arranged to have the plane towed to the terminal.
Winter storm Harper began to descend on the Mid-West Friday morning. Omaha was forecast to receive freezing rain and light snow on Friday. Harper is predicted to strengthen as it moves to the East Coast into the weekend, with some parts of Maine forecast to receive more than three feet of snow.
US airlines have issued change fee waivers throughout the storm's path, covering 74 airports throughout the Mid-West and East Coast.
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