The "tug" is just a rewording of the same complaint.
Look, AH cuts some corners as compared to real life... When you land it doesn't show all the things that happened in real life. A swarm of people come out, clean the plane, reload, refuel it, etc, wheel it back to the hangar for repairs, etc.
But that sortie is OVER. You didn't make it to the end of the runway. End of story. You're out of bounds. Sortie over, scores computed, no matter what you suggest, what deus ex machina you invent to get you BACK to that runway, you've failed the "challenge" and should not be rewarded for skirting the rules.
The rule: End sortie on the cement, or get less points. Simple logic: Can you make it to the cement? If yes, tower. If no, keep trying. Give up? Tower off the runway.
Don't complicate it with tow tugs, jeeps with gas cans, instant repair crews, or anything like that. That's just getting around the issue of: You didn't end sortie on the cement. That's the end of the argument right there.