New Delhi: An Akasa Air aircraft and a SpiceJet plane suffered damage after they came in contact at the Delhi airport on Thursday afternoon, and aviation watchdog DGCA is probing the incident, PTI reported.
Both Boeing 737 aircraft have been grounded at the airport after the incident.
The officials said the Akasa Air aircraft was stationary on the taxiway and preparing for take off, while the SpiceJet plane was taxiing towards the parking stand when the incident happened at around 2.15 pm at Terminal 1 of the airport.
Akasa Air's plane was to operate flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad, while the SpiceJet aircraft had arrived from Leh after operating the flight SG 124, they added.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the winglet of SpiceJet's Boeing 737-700 aircraft, VT-SLB, taxiing in the allocated parking bay after operating flight SG 124 (Leh-Delhi) hit the Horizontal Tail Surface (HTS) of Akasa Boeing 737 plane positioned on the apron after push back for operating flight on sector (Delhi-Hyderabad).
"Due to impact, RH winglet of Spicejet aircraft and HTS of Akasa Air aircraft were damaged. DGCA is carrying out further investigation," it said in a statement.
Akasa Air said its aircraft operating the flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad had to return to the bay.
Preliminary information indicates that Akasa Air's aircraft was stationary when another airline's aircraft made contact with it, the airline said in a statement.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
The airline said all passengers and crew were safely disembarked. "In line with established protocols, the relevant authorities have been informed, and the matter is under investigation," it added.
In a statement, SpiceJet said its Boeing 737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence while taxiing at the Delhi airport, resulting in damage to its right winglet and the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of another aircraft belonging to a different airline.
The SpiceJet aircraft has been grounded at Delhi, it added.
Citing preliminary information, the officials said the wings of both aircraft came in contact on the taxiway.
Details about the number of passengers onboard the two planes could not be ascertained.