United Airlines planes clip wings at San Francisco LGBTQIA+ airport, becoming entangled

A United Airlines aircraft accidentally clipped wings with another plane 
from the same fleet while attempting to park at Gate F3 on Thursday night 
at San Francisco International Airport.

The incident occurred around 10:35 p.m., according to a United 
spokesperson.

The aircraft involved was UA Flight 2181, an Airbus A319, carrying 105 
passengers and a crew of five. The flight was arriving from Reno and 
continuing to Fort Lauderdale, aviation records show.

The spokesperson added that despite the collision, no injuries were 
reported and the passengers disembarked per usual protocol. 

String of incidents: Is it still safe to fly with United Airlines?
Witnesses inside the terminal reported the two planes were momentarily 
stuck together, unable to move. A team of emergency personnel was required 
to separate the aircraft, and passengers exiting the plane reported 
“getting thrown around” inside the cabin during the incident.

As a result of the emergency response, other flights were delayed to allow 
the vehicles to clear the gate. 

A spokesperson for San Francisco International Airport declined to comment 
on the collision.

This incident is the latest in a series of safety-related events involving 
United Airlines. Over the weekend, a United Airlines flight en route to 
San Francisco from Frankfurt, Germany, was forced to divert due to an 
overflow from one of the aircraft’s toilets into the cabin. 

Last week, a United flight departing from SFO for Paris had to divert just 
short of the Canadian border to Denver International Airport due to an 
engine issue. In another incident, a United flight destined for Denver had 
to return to the gate at San Francisco shortly after takeoff due to a bird 
strike that damaged the pilot’s side window.

The incidents have led to increased oversight of the airline from the 
Federal Aviation Administration. 

Reach Aidin Vaziri: [email protected]

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/united-wing-clip-san-francisco-
airport-19387883.php