By
David Kroman
Seattle Times staff reporter
Two Alaska Airlines planes clipped wingtips at Sea-Tac Airport on Saturday afternoon, forcing the planes back to their gates and passengers to deplane.
The contact occurred just after noon and was “minor,” according to Port of Seattle spokesperson Kassie McKnight-Xi. There were no injuries reported. The collision also has not led to any delays at the airport, McKnight-Xi said.
In a post Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate.
The incident happened when carts — known as ground-service tugs — were pushing two Alaska Airlines planes from their gates and the wings touched, according to a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines.
The two California-bound planes were a Boeing 737-800 and a 737-900, which both hold around 180 people, according to flight records. One was flying to Orange County, the other to Sacramento.
Passengers were switched to different planes and have since departed.
“We sincerely apologize to our guests for the delay and inconvenience,” the spokesperson said.
In February, a Japan Airlines plane taxiing at Sea-Tac after landing from Tokyo struck a parked Delta Air Lines flight that was being deiced before taking off for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The two planes, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and a Boeing 737 Next Generation, were significantly damaged.
Times staff reporter Paige Cornwell contributed to this report.
David Kroman: 206-464-3196 or dkroman@seattletimes.com. Seattle Times staff reporter David Kroman covers Seattle City Hall.