A United Airlines flight clipped another United plane while taxiing at LaGuardia Airport in New York City Friday evening, according to the air carrier.
United Flight 580, a Boeing 737 arriving from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport with 166 passengers and eight crew members, was taxiing toward its arrival gate when it struck a stationary United plane, the airline said.
The collision damaged the tail of United Flight 434, another Boeing 737 preparing to depart for Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport with 162 passengers and seven crew members on board, United added.
“On Friday evening, United flight 580 was turning into its arrival gate when it made contact with the tail of United flight 434, which was stationary on the taxiway,” the airline told FOX Business on Sunday.
MAJOR AIRPORTS ISSUE GROUND STOPS DUE TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER STAFFING SHORTAGES AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
Both planes returned to the gate, and all passengers deplaned normally, United said, adding that the air carrier worked to get travelers to their destination “as quickly as possible.” No injuries were reported.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DRIVES STAFFING FLIGHT DELAYS FROM 5% TO 53% AS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS CALL OUT
The minor collision comes amid broader disruptions at major airports, where air traffic controller staffing shortages and the ongoing government shutdown have caused delays nationwide.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAL | UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC. | 94.04 | +0.66 | +0.71% |
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that while air traffic controllers manage runways and taxiways, gate-area movements remain under airline responsibility.
“FAA air traffic control is not responsible for plane movements in the gate area,” the agency said in a statement on Friday.
The agency will also conduct an investigation into the incident.
Read the full article here
