CAL, Fly Jamaica planes damaged in incident at Cheddi Jagan International Airport

Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 November 2016, 5:42 by Denis Chabrol

An incoming Caribbean Airlines Limited (CAL) aircraft Tuesday morning  struck a Fly Jamaica plane that was parked at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport but no one was injured.

Director of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Retired Col. Egbert Field confirmed that the right wing of the CAL plane knocked the tail cone of the Fly Jamaica aircraft which was parked.

“We are told that the right wing of the Caribbean Airlines aircraft came into contact with the tail cone of the Fly Jamaica aircraft.  As to the extent of the damage, I am still awaiting the report from the investigating team,” he told Demerara Waves Online News. The tail cone is the exhaust for the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU).

Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) officials said the incident occurred at about 7:40 AM (Guyana Time).

Field said neither of the two planes would be allowed to leave Guyana until investigators have completed their work, repairs are done and they are certified again as being airworthy. He could not immediately say whether the incident was a result of one of the planes being positioned badly. “I have asked that the aircraft remain in position so that our team of inspectors can conduct their investigations which would entail taking the measurements etc to ensure, checking to see whether the aircraft were properly parked on the taxi-line position; all these things will come out from the report,” he said.

The CAL flight, BW 527, was coming  in from New York, while the Fly Jamaica plane was being prepared for boarding. Caribbean Airlines later said in a statement that “All passengers and crew were safely disembarked. The aircraft has since been temporarily withdrawn from service and all appropriate inspections and procedures, along with an investigation are in progress.

Caribbean Airlines re-affirms our commitment to the safety of our valued customers and crew and thanks the public for your continued support,” the Trinidad-headquartered carrier said.