By On April 6, 2024, an aircraft collision occurred at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) involving a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and a British Airways Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
The incident of aircraft collision unfolded during the maneuvering of the Virgin Atlantic Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, registered as G-VDIA, within Terminal 3 of London Heathrow Airport. The Dreamliner’s left-wing tip collided with the right horizontal stabilizer of the parked British Airways Airbus A350-1000, identified as G-XWBC, which was scheduled for departure to Accra Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Ghana.
Promptly, emergency services responded to the scene, while onlookers captured footage of the incident.
Following the collision, engineering teams from both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways meticulously examined the aircraft for damages, revealing minor issues.
To mitigate disruption to flight schedules, British Airways arranged for an alternative A350-1000, registered as G-XWBB, to operate the intended flight to Ghana, albeit with a delay of 6 hours and 30 minutes. Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic reassured passengers that despite the removal of G-VDIA from service, their flight itineraries for April 6 remained unaffected.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the collision. Both the Metropolitan Police and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch have initiated thorough investigations into the incident to ascertain its cause and prevent future occurrences.
