A Japan Airlines plane taxiing on the tarmac at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport reportedly clipped the tail of a parked Delta aircraft on Wednesday morning, according to airport authorities. The incident occurred around 10:17 a.m., prompting a response from airport personnel. Passengers on both Japan Airlines flight 68 and Delta Air Lines flight 1921 were safely deplaned with no injuries reported. Response crews were on-site working to move the aircraft off the ramp taxiway.
A Delta spokesperson mentioned that their Boeing 737 was awaiting deicing when the wing tip of another aircraft made contact with its tail. Deicing is a standard procedure done before a flight taxis to the runway. The Delta flight, bound for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, had 142 passengers onboard who were transferred to a new aircraft without any injuries to passengers or crew.
Japan Airlines did not immediately provide a comment on the incident. One of the passengers on the Delta flight described feeling the plane shake when the collision occurred. The captain informed passengers about the tail being hit, and everyone remained calm during the situation. Passengers were later bused back to the terminal while waiting for a rescheduled flight.
The airport operations were minimally impacted as the incident took place on a taxi lane, ensuring minimal disruption to other flights. The Federal Aviation Administration will conduct an investigation into the incident, as confirmed by an FAA spokesperson in an emailed statement.
