Air India, IndiGo planes clip wings at Mumbai airport; passengers safe

Two Airbus A320 aircraft belonging to Air India and IndiGo came into contact at Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening when their wingtips touched while taxiing. The incident delayed flights AI2732 (Mumbai–Coimbatore) and 6E791 (Hyderabad–Mumbai).

Mumbai: Wingtips of Air India and IndiGo planes came in touch with each other at the Mumbai airport on Tuesday evening, and both aircraft have been grounded for checks, according to officials.
All passengers are safe.

While Air India’s plane was waiting on the taxiway prior to take off, the IndiGo aircraft was taxiing after landing at the airport, which has parallel runways. Both were Airbus A320 aircraft.

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Aviation regulator DGCA’s team is at the site and will be probing the incident, a civil aviation ministry spokesperson said.
Details about the number of passengers could not be immediately ascertained.

An Air India spokesperson said flight AI2732 operating from Mumbai to Coimbatore was delayed after the aircraft scheduled to operate the service came into contact with another airline’s aircraft while waiting on the taxiway prior to take-off.

“The wingtips of the two aircraft made contact, resulting in damage to our aircraft’s wingtip. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft has been grounded for further technical checks. All passengers were safely disembarked,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

An IndiGo spokesperson in a statement said the wingtip of its aircraft operating flight 6E791 from Hyderabad to Mumbai came in contact with a plane of another airline while taxiing, after landing.

“All passengers are safe and disembarked after parking. The aircraft is undergoing maintenance inspections. In line with established protocols, the relevant authorities were promptly informed and the matter is being investigated,” the spokesperson said.

The incident happened at around 7.30 pm on Tuesday at the Mumbai airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the country.

Providing details, the civil aviation ministry spokesperson said that while AI2732 was taxying from C1 towards M4 for departure and IndiGo arrival flight was taxiing to join B1, right wingtips of both the aircraft touched each other.

Both the planes were taxying at the time of incident and later, the aircraft returned to bay for inspections.