Two American Airlines Planes Bump Wings at Washington Airport

An American Airlines plane bumped into another American Airlines jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. One of the planes was carrying at least three US lawmakers and two former Gaza hostages. 

Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., wrote on X that no one on board was hurt during the incident. He wrote, “Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences… like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing.” 

LaLota said that Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., was also on board the plane. She was handing out snacks to passengers as they waited to return to the gate. Meng wrote on X, “Glad my colleagues and I are okay! We are safely waiting on the tarmac, but we may need more snacks.”

Two American Airlines Aircraft Bump Wings

It happened at around 12:45 PM local time. The wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490 headed to Charleston, South Carolina struck American Airlines Flight 4522 that was headed to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. 

American Airlines confirmed the incident and said in their statement, “Safety is our top priority, and we apologize to our customers for their experience.”

The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority also released a statement regarding the two American Airlines that bumped wings. “There is no effect on flight operations at Reagan National Airport, as both aircraft have returned to gates and no injuries were reported,” the statement said. 

Air Traffic Scrutiny

This latest incident could potentially intensify scrutiny on how air traffic is handled. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is known as one of the busiest airports in the US. The FAA will investigate while American Airlines took both planes out of service. As for the extent of the damage, American Airlines said that it was only limited to the wingtip. 

After the incident, LaLota’s office said “Congressman LaLota intends to bring this firsthand experience to his work in Congress, advocating for stronger aviation oversight and enhanced public safety to help prevent similar incidents in the future.”