CLEVELAND – In an unusual incident at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, two airplanes collided while passengers were boarding, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported. The collision occurred at approximately 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 12.
According to the FAA, Delta Airlines Flight No. 2577 was taxiing when its wingtip struck Spirit Airlines Flight No. 655, which was parked at the gate and in the process of boarding passengers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew members of either flight.
“Our guests deplaned normally through the jet bridge and no injuries to Spirit guests or team members were reported,” a Spirit spokesperson stated on Monday. “Safety is our top priority, and the aircraft was removed from service to be thoroughly inspected by our maintenance team.” Spirit Airlines is working to provide alternative travel arrangements for affected passengers as quickly as possible.
Delta Airlines also issued a statement: “Delta teams worked to reaccommodate customers to their final destination to Atlanta after the wingtip from Delta flight DL2577 made contact with a parked aircraft at CLE. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”
The Delta flight, a Boeing 739 with 180 passengers, was bound for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Passengers experienced a delay of about four hours while waiting for another aircraft on Sunday night.
The collision happened near Gate B2 at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. According to an airport spokesperson, there was no impact on air traffic as a result of the incident. Both airlines are conducting investigations to determine the cause of the collision and to prevent future occurrences.
Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses as part of their investigation. The aviation community and passengers are relieved that the incident did not result in any injuries, and the focus remains on ensuring safety and preventing similar incidents in the future.
Discover more from Northeast Ohio News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.