Two aircraft from Delta encounter a collision during taxiing at Atlanta's airport, leading to the detachment of the rear portion from one of them.
In a statement, Delta Air Lines representative Anthony Black confirmed that an incident occurred involving a Delta Airbus A350 and a Delta CRJ 900 regional jet operated by Endeavor Airlines. According to Black, no injuries were reported as a result of the collision. The passengers of the regional flight were subsequently transported back to the terminal using buses.
Images shared by CNN and circulated on social media show the detachment of the vertical tail from the regional aircraft, situated near airport emergency vehicles.
Delta Airlines subsequently announced that passengers would be assigned to substitute flights. The two aircraft involved, carrying 221 passengers on the Airbus and 56 passengers on the regional jet, according to the airline.
Official data from the Federal Aviation Administration indicates that the impacted runway is currently closed, along with several adjacent taxiways.
According to the FAA, during the taxiing process for Delta Flight 295 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the wingtip of the Airbus struck the tail of Endeavor Air Flight 5526. The former was en route to Tokyo, while the latter was scheduled for Lafayette, Louisiana.
In its statement, the FAA emphasized that it is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and that Delta is collaborating with the National Transportation Safety Board, together with other relevant authorities.
Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world's busiest passenger airport in 2023, is projected to serve around 110 million passengers in 2024, according to April's preliminary rankings from Airports Council International.
Despite the collision, many travelers were able to resume their journeys after being assigned to substitute flights. The investigation into the incident by the FAA and other authorities may lead to changes in safety protocols for airline travel.
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