A routine taxi operation at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport turned into a concerning moment after a SpiceJet aircraft had a collision with an Akasa Air flight on Thursday. As per the information, the incident occurred when SpiceJet B737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence. The incident led to damage to the aircraft’s right winglet as well as the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of a stationary aircraft belonging to Akasa Air. A SpiceJet spokesperson confirmed that the affected aircraft has been grounded in Delhi for further checks.
Akasa Air flight returns to the bay
According to Akasa Air, the aircraft operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad had to return to the bay shortly after pushback. The airline stated that initial findings showed the Akasa aircraft was not moving when another airline's aircraft made contact with it. "All passengers and crew were safely deplaned, and the airline’s teams have begun arranging alternate travel for those scheduled to fly to Hyderabad," an Akasa Air spokesperson stated.
Both airlines confirmed that safety protocols were followed immediately after the occurrence to ensure there were no injuries. Investigations into the cause of the incident are expected to follow as per aviation norms.
DGCA derosters ATC official and SpiceJet pilots
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken action against key personnel involved in the incident. The aviation regulator said that the air traffic controller on duty and the pilots of the SpiceJet aircraft have been derostered until the completion of the investigation.
Akasa Air's Phuket-Bengaluru flight suffered lightning strike
Last month, an Akasa Air aircraft en route from Phuket to Bengaluru experienced a lightning strike due to adverse weather conditions and later landed safely in Chennai. The incident occurred on March 18. The flight operated with a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, which landed safely at Chennai. The plane was later grounded for checks. In a statement, the airline had said the flight QP 624, operating from Phuket to Bengaluru on March 18, was diverted to Chennai due to adverse weather conditions, during which the aircraft experienced a lightning strike.
Airlines oppose govt's 60 pc free seat selection decision
It is worth noting here that IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet have raised strong objections to the government's decision asking airlines not to levy any charges for the selection of at least 60 per cent seats on flights, saying the move will force them to hike airfares to recover lost revenues. The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents the three airlines, has also urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to take steps to withdraw the decision. Last month, the ministry announced that directions have been issued to the DGCA to direct airlines to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight free of charge to ensure fair access for passengers.
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