Two United Airlines planes collide at LaGuardia Airport amid staffing shortages and severe weather, raising concerns about aviation safety and operational reliability.
New York: Two United Airlines aircraft collided while taxiing on the tarmac at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Friday. The collision occurred as a United Airlines flight arriving from Orlando clipped the tail of another United aircraft that was stationary and preparing for departure to Houston. No injuries were reported among the 328 passengers and 15 crew members aboard the two aircraft.
The incident has triggered concerns about operational reliability, particularly in light of the ongoing staffing shortages and severe weather conditions that have plagued the airport. According to passenger accounts, the collision occurred during a turn into the gate area, causing a bump during taxi. “We all felt a bump during taxi, but didn’t know it was another plane until the captain said it was,” one passenger shared the harrowing incident with local media.
The aviation experts suggested that the incident has pointed out the human cost of staffing shortages in the aviation industry in the US. They stated that the safety of passengers and crew is being put at risk with nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers working without pay due to the government shutdown, the safety of passengers and crew is being put at risk. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that staffing issues now account for over half of all flight delays, compared to roughly 5% under normal conditions.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that prolonged shortages could lead to a real risk of disaster if the issue remains unresolved. “After 31 days without pay, air traffic controllers are under immense stress and fatigue,” the FAA said in a statement, adding that the shutdown must end so that these controllers receive the pay they have earned and travellers can avoid further disruptions and delays.
The collision occurred as LaGuardia faced heavy congestion and high winds, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. Flight tracking data showed average ground delays exceeding two hours, while some departures were held for more than five hours. The Houston-bound United aircraft was already delayed by about 90 minutes prior to the collision.
The FAA has launched an investigation to ascertain whether procedural lapses, environmental factors, or limited ground visibility contributed to the contact between the two planes. Both planes immediately halted operations and returned to the gate for inspection. The maintenance teams conducted post-incident assessments to determine the extent of any structural damage before clearing the affected area.
United Airlines has confirmed that the passengers were safely deplaned and that the airline made other arrangements.
