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Two United Airlines aircraft made contact on Friday morning at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). This marks the latest in a string of aviation incidents across the United States in recent months.
According to United officials, Flight UA 2652, arriving from Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) with 113 passengers on board, clipped the horizontal stabilizer of another United aircraft while taxiing toward its gate. No injuries were reported, but passengers were delayed approximately 40 minutes as ground crews inspected both planes. The airline confirmed that both aircraft were taken out of service for inspection and maintenance.
The latest collision comes amid a series of recent incidents at US airports highlighting the challenges of managing increasingly crowded airspace and tight ground operations. Earlier this month, two Delta Air Lines regional jets made contact at New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). One flight attendant suffered minor injuries and passengers were unharmed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation into the incident.
Just weeks earlier, on September 28th, an American Airlines flight at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) was forced to abort takeoff when an AeroLogic cargo jet crossed an active runway without clearance. Air traffic controllers swiftly intervened and prevented a potential catastrophe. The FAA later confirmed the two planes never came closer than 5,200 feet.
The day after the LAX runway accident, maintenance crews at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) discovered the body of a 25-year-old Guatemalan man, Jose Joaquin De Leon Santiz, inside the landing gear compartment of an American Airlines aircraft that had arrived from Europe. Authorities believe he attempted to stow away on the flight and perished. The FBI and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are investigating the incident (with the Guatemalan consulate assisting in notifying the man’s family).
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), there have been 210 fatal and 920 non-fatal plane crashes reported worldwide so far in 2025. While these figures may appear concerning, aviation experts note that the overall rate of fatal accidents continues to decline globally and reflects the industry’s ongoing investments in safety protocols, crew training, and technology.
Anthony’s Take: Despite isolated incidents like Friday’s collision, commercial air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation.
(Featured Image Credit: United Airlines.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
