[m463]

The wall might critical to keeping things off the runway, like animals and people.

[dredmorbius]

This one isn't. It's a relatively short support structure, not a battlement.

There are cinderblock a cinderblock wall and numerous chin-link (and razor-wire-topped) fences in the area, which do control airport access. Those would likely not have proved fatal to the aircraft to any similar extent however.

[alkonaut]

Those walls are there also on airports that do have open space beyond the runway. But they’re typically fences. Significantly cheaper and doesn’t disassemble and airliner upon impact.

[m463]

sorry, I guess I'm doing chesterton's fenc..wall