Disabled plane causes delays, reroutes flights at RSW

Two flat tires on a plane cause a mess for passengers trying to get to Southwest Florida International Airport on Tuesday.

Update: according to SWFL Int’l Airport, as of 8:10 p.m. on Tuesday night, the United Airlines aircraft has been removed. Flights at RSW will resume on Tuesday night, you can reach out to your airline to confirm your flight.

George Cavallo from Bonita Springs used to work in aviation, so he’s familiar with similar situations.

“The plane shifted to the left a little bit, and I told my wife exactly what happened; I said we blew a tire, tires going to go on fire, brakes are going to go on fire, and don’t be surprised if you see the emergency vehicles come with the white foam,” George said.

But Cathy Cavallo, George’s wife, the experience was a first.

“The plane was only a few months old, so it was kind of surprising they thought it was surprising,” Cathy said.

Nearly three hours and a bus ride later, it was finally over, and a lot of people were able to laugh it off.

The Lee County Port Authority says a United Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, was stuck on the runway after its tires went flat after landing. They say passengers from the plane were bussed to the terminal. Everyone was able to get off the plane uninjured.

“The firefighters stayed around and carried anyone who needed assistance. They carried them down the stairs. It was just a wonderful thing to see that with all the problems Fort Myers has had. But the hurricane, that was still going strong no matter what. We helped each other, and it was that kind of a day,” said Cathy Cavallo, one of the people on the flight.

This affected more than just the people on that plane, though. Flights trying to land at RSW have been diverted to other airports in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.