An incident occurred at Kolkata Airport on Wednesday around 10:30 am involving an IndiGo aircraft and a Chennai-bound Air India Express plane. The IndiGo aircraft, while awaiting clearance to enter the runway, brushed the wingtip of the Air India Express plane, which had 169 passengers onboard.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a probe into the incident. As a precautionary measure, the pilots of the IndiGo aircraft have been off-rostered. Fortunately, no passengers were injured during the incident, ensuring the safety of all individuals involved.
According to an Air India Express spokesperson, their stationary aircraft was grazed by the taxiing aircraft of another airline. The affected Air India Express plane was waiting for clearance to depart for Chennai. Following the incident, the aircraft returned to the bay, and further investigation is underway in coordination with regulatory authorities and airport officials.
IndiGo, in its statement, confirmed the incident and mentioned that their aircraft underwent inspection upon returning to the bay. They described the encounter as a “minor graze” between the two aircraft and emphasized their commitment to passenger safety. Additionally, they apologized for the delay caused to passengers of IndiGo flight 6E 6152 between Kolkata and Darbhanga.
Despite the inconvenience caused, IndiGo ensured that refreshments were provided to all passengers, and arrangements were made for an alternate aircraft to minimize delays and inconvenience. The airline reiterated its dedication to prioritizing passenger safety above all else and committed to submitting an incident report to the DGCA in due course.
An official from Kolkata Airport mentioned that Air India Express de-boarded its passengers as the affected aircraft had to be grounded for further inspection and assessment. Currently, the passengers are at the airport, awaiting the arrival of an alternate aircraft to continue their journey, as airport and airline authorities work to resolve the situation promptly.
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