It is sad, indeed pathetic to read so many whinging comments on this accident. Notwithstanding the inconvenience caused to so many, it is not the ‘jobsworths’ causing the problems but the practicalities associated with accidents such as this and which lay people have little or no knowledge.
It may appear to be ‘simple taxying’ accident but the AAIB need to establish the cause, including the root causes which may be myriad.
Removing an aircraft from unpaved surfaces, whilst causing minimum damage to the aircraft, is not a simple task and requires specialist equipment and personnel not normally available at regional airports and maybe not even available locally.
Aviation is so safe in 2017 only because it has learned from thorough investigation of accidents in the past. As seasoned professionals, the AAIB [who probably also wish to be at home on a Christmas Friday] will only have refused to allow movement of the aircraft for a good reason.
Similarly the Bristol Airport Authority will have no wish to cause inconvenience to their customers.
H49