Southwest, Fed Ex planes damaged when wings collide on the ground in Salt Lake City

Southwest, Fed Ex planes dinged in airport mishap

DALLAS — Planes belonging to Southwest Airlines Co. and FedEx Corp. suffered minor damage when they bumped wings while on the ground in Salt Lake City.

A Southwest spokesman said the airline’s jet was beginning to pull back from the gate when it was clipped by a FedEx cargo plane Sunday morning.

Paul Flaningan said Monday no passengers were hurt, and they were put on another plane for the trip to Albuquerque. The plane was fixed and put back in duty, he said.

“The pilots were about to fire up the engines … when they felt a jolt,” Flaningan said.

FedEx spokesman Jim McCluskey said the FedEx plane was taxiing out to the runway when the accident occurred. He said the cargo plane suffered “minimal” damage and was being repaired.

Barbara Gann, a spokeswoman for Salt Lake City International Airport, said collisions between planes near the gate are unusual.