Photo screenshot: WCVB Channel 5 Boston YOUTUBE/2 Southwest planes collide at T.F. Green International Airport
A routine night at a New England airport turned tense fast. Two Southwest Airlines planes made contact on the ground at Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, and both flights ended up canceled.
The incident happened in Warwick at around 10.45 p.m. on Thursday, June 11. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, Flight 3515 was pushing back onto a taxiway when its wing struck the tail of Flight 3409. Afterward, both planes returned to their gates and passengers got off safely.
Flight 3515 was set to depart for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Meanwhile, Flight 3409 was headed to Chicago Midway. FlightAware shows the airline scrapped both trips.
Passengers saw it coming
Several travelers told NBC 10 they noticed the two aircraft drifting close before the impact. One passenger said his flight had already sat through a six hour delay and was only about half full. From his window seat, he watched the other jet approach but assumed the planes would miss each other. Then came the bump. Even so, he said the aircraft kept rolling, and passengers had to call out before the crew realized what had happened.
Southwest confirmed it knows about the incident and said it is investigating. In addition, the carrier promised a thorough inspection of both aircraft and said it rebooked the affected travelers. The airline stressed that nothing matters more to it than the safety of its customers and employees. The FAA plans to run its own probe as well.
Southwest still has big Florida plans
The mishap lands at a busy moment for the carrier. Despite the bad night in Rhode Island, Southwest is pushing ahead with an expansion in South Florida. The airline plans to restore five seasonal routes out of Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport this winter.
Starting in January, the carrier will bring back flights to Bradley International in Connecticut, Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Long Island MacArthur in New York, Harry Reid International in Las Vegas and Greater Rochester International in New York. Beyond that, Southwest plans fresh routes out of Miami, Palm Beach and Fort Myers.
The timing makes sense. Fort Lauderdale has been rebuilding its schedule ever since Spirit Airlines shut down in May. In April, Southwest ranked as the fourth largest carrier there with 8.6% of passenger traffic, behind Spirit, JetBlue and Delta. However, the airline’s biggest bet remains Orlando. The carrier plans up to 203 departures on peak Saturdays there through the first two months of 2027.
For now, though, all eyes are on the investigation in Rhode Island.
SOURCE: AOL
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