EasyJet Planes Collide on Taxiway at Manchester Airport, Flights Delayed

A routine morning at Manchester Airport took a dramatic turn when two EasyJet planes clipped wings during taxiing, causing delays to flights bound for Paris and Gibraltar. The incident occurred around 06:30 BST on Thursday, prompting an immediate safety response but resulting in no injuries.

Manchester Airport spokesperson confirmed that the EasyJet plane collision took place as the aircraft were making their way to the runway. The planes — both in EasyJet’s signature orange and white livery — were preparing for departures to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Gibraltar when their wingtips made contact at a junction between two taxiways.

Passenger Tynisha Chaudhry, who was on the Gibraltar-bound flight with her partner, compared the impact to “a car crash.” She told the BBC, “We felt the whole plane shudder – it was a massive hit.” Chaudhry noted that “a lot of fire engines” and safety crews rushed to the scene as passengers waited onboard while inspections took place.

Although the atmosphere onboard was generally calm, some children and their parents became visibly tense before passengers were eventually allowed to disembark and return to the terminal. Images from the scene show the tip of one plane’s wing visibly damaged as airport staff conducted close-up inspections from a cherry picker.

Flights at Manchester Airport were briefly suspended for safety assessments before resuming. The evaluation revealed only minor damage to the planes, but both required replacement aircraft to complete their scheduled journeys.

In a statement, EasyJet confirmed the incident: “EasyJet can confirm that the wing tips of two aircraft came into contact whilst taxiing to the runway at Manchester Airport this morning. The aircraft returned to stand to disembark customers who have been provided with refreshment vouchers whilst replacement aircraft are arranged to operate the flights. We apologise to customers for the delay to their flights. The safety of our passengers and crew is our highest priority.”

Earlier this morning, two easyJet aircraft clipped their wings while taxiing in Manchester. https://t.co/giymPuPX3L pic.twitter.com/ZONxIK8tnX

— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) August 15, 2025

The EasyJet wing-clipped collision had knock-on effects for travellers outside of the UK. Joshua Brandwood, a passenger waiting at Paris Charles de Gaulle for the return leg to Manchester, said the delay was initially unexplained by gate staff. “I’m already a nervous flier,” he admitted, “and now I’m scared of even getting that plane if it does manage to get here.”

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EasyJet has not yet provided a timeline for when the replacement aircraft will be in place, but passengers have been advised to monitor flight status updates. While no one was injured, the incident highlights the rare but disruptive nature of ground collisions in busy international airports.

For now, the focus remains on safely accommodating affected passengers and investigating how two aircraft came into such close contact during what should have been a routine taxi to the runway.