A China Eastern Airlines aircraft struck an aerobridge on Saturday, 2 May, on arrival at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport after arriving from the city of the giant pandas Chengdu, as reported in South China Morning Post.
The Shanghai-based airline said “a mechanical malfunction occurred” as the plane was taxiing slowly towards its gate and the aircraft hit the bridge.
The collision was minor and all passengers on board the aircraft were safe, it said. “The flight crew immediately handled it according to established procedures,” China Eastern said, adding that passengers disembarked in an orderly manner.
“The cause of this incident is currently under investigation. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience it may have caused to passengers’ travel.”
After a delay of more than half an hour, passengers disembarked via the undamaged side of the plane and received 300 yuan (US$44) in compensation from the airline..
The incident took place on the second day of the “golden week” May Day holiday. Transport authorities estimated on Tuesday that a total of 1.52 billion people would travel throughout the country during the five-day holiday and, of those, 11.75 million would travel by plane.
Video of incident can be viewed here
United Airlines
A United Airlines jet with 231 passengers and crew escaped a major disaster on Sunday (May 3) after one of its wheels clipped a lamp-post and truck on a highway while on final approach to land in New Jersey.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials said the Boeing 767 landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport after arriving from Venice, Italy, and the agency would investigate the incident.
A preliminary investigation from New Jersey State Police said, “while a United Airlines Aircraft was approaching the runway, a landing tire and the underside of the plane collided with a pole and a tractor-trailer”. “The pole then struck a Jeep” that was also travelling on the highway, state police said.
No injuries were reported on the plane, and the delivery truck driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and released, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.
United Airlines flight 169 was carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members when the incident occurred around 2pm local time on Sunday on a section of road near the airport runways.
United Airlines said in a statement it plans to “conduct a rigorous flight safety investigation into the incident and our crew has been removed from service as part of this process”.
Video of incident can be viewed here
Photo credit:
China Eastern Airlines: Weibo
Truck driver/United Airlines: @BNONews/X
