An investigation has begun after a British Airways (BA) Boeing 747-400 and a Sri Lankan Airlines Airbus A340 struck wingtips on a London Heathrow airport taxiway.
Heathrow airport operator BAA says there were no serious injuries from the ground incident, which occurred at around 22:10 on 15 October.
© AP Photos / Annasofie Flamand The BA aircraft, a 1990 example registered G-BNLL, had 328 passengers onboard and was due to operate to Singapore under flight number BA011.
© AP Photos / Annasofie Flamand
A BA spokesman says: “Whilst on the taxiway it was involved in a collision with a Sri Lankan Airlines aircraft. No one was injured and it was only a minor collision where the winglets of the aircraft collided. All of the passengers were offloaded and returned to the terminal building.
“Engineers are already inspecting the aircraft and an investigation has already begun into the cause. Early indications are that it was just the [port] winglet that was struck.”
The spokesman was unable to immediately comment on when the BA-owned aircraft might be returned to service.
Heathrow remained open throughout. The BAA spokesman says: “It was on a taxiway so it was pretty easy to avoid the area.”
Sources familiar with the situation say that the BA aircraft was stationary, with its parking brakes on, at the time of the incident.
Sri Lankan Airlines said in a statement that its aircraft operating flight number UL 502 "reported a minor incident involving a British Airways aircraft when taxing to the runway at London Heathrow airport at 2044hrs on Monday, October 15th."
There were no injuries reported by its 286 passengers or crew onboard the flight from London via Male to Colombo. "All passengers have been transferred to city hotels until alternate travel arrangements are made during the course of the day."
A regulatory official suggests achieving air taxi type certificates may be an easier path than securing commercial-flight approvals under eIPP programme.
Inquiry believes recent resurfacing at Scottish capital airport will reduce risk of further incidents.
EASA and FAA warn uncontained fragments could inflict damage on the aircraft fuselage.
First officer had been undergoing operational training at time of occurrence.
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