American Airlines Wing Clips United Plane's Tail At O'Hare

Hundreds of passengers faced delays Wednesday after an American Airline's plane clipped a United Airlines plane on the taxiway at O'Hare Airport in Chicago.

American Airlines flight 1979's wing clipped the tail of a United Airlines flight 219 bound for Honolulu WLS-TV reported.

United Airlines stated that "another airline's aircraft made contact with the tail cone of a stationary United plane while on the taxiway awaiting departure," WBBM-TV reported.

American Airlines stated that the wingtip of flight 1979 bound for Los Angeles made contact with "a nearby aircraft on the taxiway."

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident happened around 10 a.m. and no injuries were reported.

Passengers of United Airlines flight 219 were taken to Hawaii in a different aircraft.

A spokesperson of American Airlines says its passengers got off the plane at a gate and were also be taking a replacement aircraft to carry on with their flight. In addition, the company's spokesperson also issued an apology to its customers for the inconvenience.

The only created a "minimal impact" on airfield operations, according to officials.

This is not the first "runway incursion" at the O'Hare airport. In 2024, there were 21 incursions recorded.

"Incursions" refer to situations where planes and humans are at the wrong place and the wrong time due to an accident or because of confusion in understanding directions. The 21 incursions were said to belong to the lowest categories in the hierarchy of safety risks.

According to the report, the last time that a serious runway incursion was recorded at the O'Hare was in 2015.