A minor collision between aircraft operated by Akasa Air and SpiceJet occurred at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Thursday evening, leading to damage to both planes but no injuries to passengers or crew.
Incident occurred during taxiing
The incident reportedly happened when a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 aircraft was taxiing at the airport and made contact with an Akasa Air aircraft that was stationary on the ground.
The impact resulted in damage to the right wing of the SpiceJet aircraft, while the Akasa Air plane suffered damage to its left-hand horizontal stabiliser. The Akasa aircraft was scheduled to operate flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad. Following the collision, the aircraft was forced to return to the bay for inspection and safety checks.
Airline confirms passengers disembarked safely
According to an Akasa Air spokesperson, preliminary findings suggest their aircraft was not moving at the time of the incident.
The spokesperson said, “All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest.”
According to SpiceJet spokesperson, "On April 16, 2026, a SpiceJet B737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence while taxiing at Delhi airport, resulting in damage to its right winglet and the left-hand horizontal stabilizer of another aircraft belonging to a different airline. The SpiceJet aircraft has been grounded at Delhi."
Passengers were deboarded as a precaution while airline teams coordinated alternate travel arrangements.
Safety protocols initiated
Airport ground staff and technical teams immediately began assessing the extent of the damage to both aircraft. Aviation experts note that ground incidents typically occur during taxi operations when aircraft move within congested apron areas under controlled guidance.
Both airlines are expected to conduct detailed engineering inspections before returning the aircraft to service.
DGCA yet to issue statement
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has not yet released an official statement regarding the collision. Further details are awaited as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
