China Eastern Aircraft Strikes Boarding Bridge Taxiing In Shanghai, Airline Offers 300 Yuan To Delayed Passengers

Beijing: China Eastern Airlines issued an apology on Saturday after one of its aircraft made contact with a boarding bridge while taxiing to the gate at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The Shanghai-based carrier said the incident occurred as the flight from Chengdu approached its parking stand, stressing that all passengers on board were safe. Footage of the aircraft collision with the boarding bridge has surfaced, which has been largely shared on social media. 

According to the airline, “a mechanical malfunction occurred” while the aircraft was moving slowly towards the gate, resulting in the plane striking the bridge. “The flight crew immediately handled it according to established procedures,” China Eastern said in a statement. The passengers were disembarked in an orderly manner, with the carrier adding that the collision was minor.

The airline confirmed that the cause of the incident is under investigation. “We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience it may have caused to passengers’ travel,” the statement read. The carrier did not specify the nature of the mechanical issue but said it was cooperating fully with authorities.

The flight tracking data from Trip.com identified the aircraft as an Airbus A350-900 widebody that had been in service for 4 years and 3 months. As per reports, it departed Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, at 9.18 am on Saturday and touched down in Shanghai at 11.33 am.

The passengers told mainland media that they heard the impact while still inside the cabin. After a delay of over half an hour, travellers were allowed to disembark using the undamaged side of the aircraft. China Eastern provided each passenger with 300 yuan, around USD 44, in compensation for the disruption.

Following the incident, one of the passengers compared the sensation to mild turbulence and stated that upon leaving the aircraft, she noticed damage to one of the wings and reported hearing a loud noise from the engine. Another traveller said the collision was audible from the cabin, but there was no panic among those on board.

Reports suggested that the event took place on the second day of China’s ‘golden week’ May Day holiday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. The transport authorities had estimated earlier in the week that 1.52 billion trips would be made across the country during the five-day holiday, with 11.75 million people expected to fly.

Despite the disruption, China Eastern asserted that safety protocols were followed and that no injuries were reported. The airline said it would work with regulators and maintenance teams to ascertain the exact cause of the malfunction. The officials stated that the operations at Shanghai Hongqiao continued, though the damaged bridge and aircraft wing were subject to inspection before any return to service.