Two United Airlines planes grazed each other on the ground at LaGuardia Airport Friday evening, the airline said, exacerbating delays caused by ongoing staffing shortages.
United flight 580 was turning into its gate after arriving from Chicago when it struck the tail of United flight 434, which was parked on the taxiway, according to the airline. Both Boeing 737-800 aircraft returned to the gate and passengers deplaned normally.
No injuries were reported among the 166 passengers and eight crew members aboard the arriving flight or the 162 passengers and seven crew on the other plane, which was heading to Houston.
United said the airline was working to get the passengers to their destinations as quickly as possible.
The Federal Aviation Administration said nearly 80% of air traffic controllers were absent at New York–area facilities Friday amid a nationwide staffing shortage tied to the government shutdown. As a result, officials said plane traffic was deliberately slowed down for safety reasons.
At a press conference earlier in the day, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby called on Democrats to join Republicans to “pass a clean CR” – a congressional funding mechanism – to reopen the government.
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