After a terrorist attack where planes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C., the Federal Aviation Center grounded all airplanes, but planes in the air still needed a place to land.

Willard Airport in Champaign provided a space for one airplane from Chicago to land.

“So far, one plane has landed, and it looks like that will be all,” said Ron Weiss of the University of Illinois Police Department.

Weiss said the Red Cross, airport officials and university officials assisted the 150 people who were on the flight. Passengers were shuttled to hotels or helped in getting cars, he said.

The airport was able to handle the situation without any problems.

“We have jet run-ways, so it’s not a problem,” one airport worker said.

Although Coles County Airport, 432 Airport Road, no longer offers flights in and out of the airport, individual people still own planes they fly out of the Charleston airport.

However, no one was allowed to fly out of the airport Tuesday.

“We’re not having airplanes depart this airport (Tuesday) or until further notice,” said Jerry Carter, airport manager.

Carter said he anticipates that he would receive word through the Federal Aviation Center as to when they could have flights leave the airport again.

The emergency number for United Airlines is 1-800-245-0999, and the emergency number for American Airlines is 1-800-932-8555. Anyone can call these numbers to receive information and ask questions about the flights.