A startling collision between two Delta Air Lines regional jets on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport left one flight attendant injured and passengers shaken in what the airline described as a “low-speed collision.” The incident, which occurred Wednesday night, involved a Delta Connection flight with 32 passengers preparing for takeoff to Roanoke, Virginia, and another arriving from Charlotte, North Carolina, carrying 61 people.

According to Delta, the wing of the outbound aircraft struck the fuselage of the arriving plane, causing damage to the cockpit windscreen and onboard screens of the latter. “Their right wing clipped our nose and cockpit. We have damage to our windscreen and some screens,” a pilot reported over air traffic control audio. A flight attendant sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was promptly taken to a nearby hospital, as confirmed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. No passenger injuries were reported.

Passenger William Lusk, aboard the arriving flight, described the moment of impact to ABC: “The plane stopped, jerked, and jumped to the right. Everyone went dead silent.” The pilot quickly addressed the cabin, calmly stating, “Hey, we’ve been in a crash, everyone remain calm,” which helped maintain order among stunned passengers.

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The collision, involving aircraft operated by Delta’s regional partner Endeavor Air, did not disrupt overall airport operations, Delta confirmed. “The safety of our customers and people is our top priority. We apologize for the experience and will work with authorities to review the incident,” the airline stated.

The incident has raised concerns about taxiway safety at busy airports like LaGuardia, where tight scheduling and high traffic increase the risk of such mishaps. Aviation authorities are expected to investigate the cause, focusing on taxiway protocols and ground crew coordination. Passengers, meanwhile, expressed relief that the incident was minor but called for stricter measures to prevent future collisions. As Delta cooperates with investigators, the event serves as a reminder of the critical need for vigilance in ground operations at one of the nation’s busiest airports.

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