One United Airlines plane clipped another United plane’s tail at LaGuardia Airport in New York City on Friday.
According to a spokesperson for the airline, one plane was turning into its arrival gate when it “made contact” with the tail of another plane that was stationary on the taxiway.
The spokesperson said both planes returned to their gates, passengers deplaned normally, and no injuries were reported.
The plane turning into its arrival gate, Flight 580, had just arrived from O’Hare International Airport in Chicago and had 166 customers and eight crew members on board.
The other plane, Flight 434, was bound for George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. There were 162 customers and seven crew members on board. According to LaGuardia’s flight tracker, the flight has been canceled.
“We are working to get our customers to their destination as quickly as possible,” a United Airlines spokesperson said.
CBS News New York also reached out to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and they referred us to United for comment.
Nearly 80% of air traffic controllers absent in NYC area, FAA says
The incident happened as air traffic controllers continue to work without pay due to the government shutdown.
In a statement posted Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration wrote, “As we head into this weekend, a surge in callouts is straining staffing levels at multiple facilities, leading to widespread impacts across the [national airspace system].”
According to the FAA, nearly 80% of air traffic controllers are absent at New York-area airports.
Previous collision at LaGuardia Airport
This is the second incident of this nature at LaGuardia Airport this month. On Oct. 1, two Delta Air Lines planes were involved in a collision on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport.
A spokesperson for Delta said there was a “low-speed collision” between an arriving flight and a departing flight, and the wing of one plane made contact with the fuselage of the other.
The airline said a flight attendant sustained a minor injury and was treated at the scene. According to Port Authority, another individual was taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.
Stay with CBS News New York for the latest on this developing story.
