Tulum Airport Shuts Down After Volaris Landing Gear Issue

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport in Tulum suspended operations for approximately two hours on Thursday afternoon after a Volaris aircraft experienced a landing gear malfunction. The incident disrupted flight schedules but resulted in no injuries.

Incident Details

The disruption occurred around 3:00 p.m. when Volaris Flight 1400, registered as XA-VVA and arriving from Guadalajara, Jalisco, suffered a punctured tire on its front landing gear. The aircraft, carrying 130 passengers, managed to land safely without injuries to passengers or crew.

Passengers were evacuated directly onto the runway and transported by bus to the terminal. While no injuries were reported, some travelers expressed concern over the unusual disembarkation process, which caused confusion among those unaware of the severity of the malfunction.

Operational Impact

Airport authorities confirmed the aircraft was towed from the main runway to clear the area, allowing operations to resume after an estimated two-hour delay. Departures and arrivals scheduled during the afternoon were affected.

Volaris stated that passengers and crew remained safe throughout the incident and that disembarkation proceeded orderly. Neither the airline nor airport officials released an official technical report by the time of publication, though they emphasized that emergency protocols were promptly activated.

The temporary closure highlights ongoing concerns about emergency infrastructure and protocols at Tulum’s airport, which has seen a rapid increase in domestic and international flights since opening.