Two Delta jets collide at low speed while taxiing at NY's LaGuardia airport

According to Delta, as one plane prepared for takeoff to Virginia, its wing struck another aircraft arriving from North Carolina; a flight attendant was injured in the collision

Two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided at low speed on Wednesday night (local time) while taxiing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, ABC News reported.

 

According to a statement from Delta, as one plane prepared for takeoff to Roanoke, Virginia, its wing struck the fuselage of another aircraft that had just arrived from Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

The collision injured a flight attendant, who was taken to a hospital. The airline said there were no reports of passenger injuries and added that the rest of LaGuardia’s operations were unlikely to be impacted.

 

Delta issued an apology, saying: “Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as the safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologise to our customers for the experience.”  ALSO READ | New York's Statue of Liberty torch may go dark as US govt shutdown drags on 

Eyewitness account and video

 

A video posted on X, apparently taken from a neighbouring plane, showed flashing emergency lights on the tarmac and visible damage to one jet’s wing. ABC News reported that the right wing of one plane collided with the nose of the other.

 

A passenger told the outlet that the Charlotte flight made a hard landing and veered quickly off the runway as the pilot applied the brakes, which coincided with the collision.

 

Safety concerns at LaGuardia

 

The incident came just hours after more than 50 industry and labour groups — including the International Air Transport Association — warned that a potential US government shutdown could worsen aviation staffing shortages and delay training for air traffic controllers.

 

It also adds to a string of recent mishaps at LaGuardia. In March, a Delta jet’s wing clipped the runway during a landing attempt, forcing a go-around and triggering a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation.