TAMPA - A Southwest Airlines jet awaiting takeoff from Tampa International Airport clipped an identical Boeing 737 as it attempted to pass Wednesday afternoon.
No one was injured and damage was minor, but the airline took both jets out of service and replaced them with other planes.
The accident occurred at the north end of the main north-south runway at 3:15 p.m., said TIA spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan. She said the taxiway there is wide enough for planes to pass.
Melanie Jones, a spokeswoman for Southwest, said Flight 96 bound for Baltimore was holding on the taxiway for takeoff clearance due to a weather delay. Behind it, Flight 394 bound for Phoenix was given clearance to take off and tried to taxi around the Baltimore flight. Its wingtip clipped the tail assembly of the other plane.
Both aircraft taxied back to Airside C, and passengers were put on other aircraft.
"There was some debris on the taxiway that had to be cleaned up, so the runway was closed for about 15 minutes," Geoghagan said.
Other aircraft awaiting takeoff sat on the taxiway until the runway reopened, she said.
