SpiceJet and Akasa Air Aircraft Collide, Sustaining Damage
- A SpiceJet aircraft and an Akasa Air aircraft collided on the tarmac at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on April 16, 2026.
- The collision involved a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 and an Akasa Air Boeing 737 MAX 8.
- The Akasa Air aircraft was operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad.
A SpiceJet aircraft and an Akasa Air aircraft collided on the tarmac at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on April 16, 2026. The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 PM at Terminal 1, resulting in damage to both aircraft and the grounding of the SpiceJet plane.
The collision involved a SpiceJet Boeing 737-700 and an Akasa Air Boeing 737 MAX 8. According to reports, the SpiceJet aircraft had arrived from Leh and was taxiing toward a parking stand when it made contact with the Akasa Air aircraft.
The Akasa Air aircraft was operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad. Preliminary information provided by the airline indicates that its aircraft was stationary at the time of the impact.
Damage and Operational Impact
The impact resulted in specific structural damage to both planes. The SpiceJet B737-700 sustained damage to its right winglet, while the Akasa Air aircraft suffered damage to its left-hand horizontal stabiliser.
Following the incident, the SpiceJet aircraft was grounded at Delhi Airport. Akasa Air reported that flight QP 1406 had to return to the bay.
All passengers and crew members on the Akasa Air flight were safely disembarked. No major injuries were reported following the collision.
Company Statements
Akasa Air confirmed the nature of the event and the status of its passengers through a spokesperson.
Akasa Air spokesperson
Aircraft operating flight QP 1406 from Delhi to Hyderabad had to return to the bay on April 16, 2026. Preliminary information indicates that Akasa’s aircraft was stationary when another airline’s aircraft made contact with it. All passengers and crew were safely disembarked, and our ground teams are making alternative arrangements to fly our passengers to Hyderabad at the earliest.
SpiceJet acknowledged the ground occurrence, identifying the aircraft type and the specific areas of damage.
SpiceJet
On April 16, a SpiceJet B737-700 aircraft was involved in a ground occurrence while taxiing at Delhi airport, resulting in damage to its right winglet and the left-hand horizontal stabiliser of another aircraft belonging to a different airline. The SpiceJet aircraft has been grounded at Delhi.
Safety and Regulatory Context
Akasa Air stated that relevant authorities have been informed in accordance with established protocols and that the matter is currently under investigation.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation watchdog, had not yet issued a statement regarding the incident at the time of the reporting.
Aviation expert Parvez Damania described the event as extremely serious and dangerous, noting that such an incident is surprising at a major hub like Delhi given that safety protocols are clearly defined and pilots are highly trained.
This event follows a similar occurrence on February 3, 2026, when an IndiGo aircraft made wingtip contact with an Air India plane at Mumbai airport while both aircraft were carrying passengers.