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, according to officials.
Both Boeing 737 aircraft have been grounded at the airport after the incident.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said an air traffic controller and the SpiceJet pilots have been derostered pending investigation.
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.
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 the Spicejet aircraft and the HTS of Akasa Air aircraft were damaged. DGCA is carrying out further investigation," it said in a statement.
In an updated statement, the watchdog said the air traffic controller concerned and the involved pilots of SpiceJet have been off-rostered pending investigation.
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.
“Preliminary information indicates that Akasa’s aircraft was stationary when another airline’s aircraft made contact with it,” an Akasa Air spokesperson said.
The aircraft had to return to the bay following the incident.
“All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest,” the spokesperson said.
Details about the number of passengers onboard the two planes could not be ascertained.