United Airlines faces another frustrating evening at LaGuardia Airport as two of its planes narrowly avoided disaster. Two Boeing 737-800 aircraft made contact with each other on the ground, leaving authorities scrambling to assess the damage.
According to United Airlines officials, Flight 580 touched down safely in Chicago but then veered off course after striking the tail of another plane that was stationary on the taxiway, awaiting departure for Houston. Miraculously, neither incident resulted in any injuries among the passengers or crew – a total of 166 travelers and eight staff members were on board both planes.
The airline acknowledged that the collision had further compounded existing flight delays caused by staffing shortages at LaGuardia Airport. United representatives said they were working diligently to rebook passengers for their flights as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that nearly 80% of air traffic controllers were absent from New York-area facilities due to a nationwide shortage exacerbated by the ongoing government shutdown. To minimize risks, authorities opted to slow down plane traffic, adding insult to injury for already-frustrated travelers.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stepped up his calls on lawmakers to act – and fast – in passing legislation that would allow the federal government to reopen its doors.
According to United Airlines officials, Flight 580 touched down safely in Chicago but then veered off course after striking the tail of another plane that was stationary on the taxiway, awaiting departure for Houston. Miraculously, neither incident resulted in any injuries among the passengers or crew – a total of 166 travelers and eight staff members were on board both planes.
The airline acknowledged that the collision had further compounded existing flight delays caused by staffing shortages at LaGuardia Airport. United representatives said they were working diligently to rebook passengers for their flights as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, officials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that nearly 80% of air traffic controllers were absent from New York-area facilities due to a nationwide shortage exacerbated by the ongoing government shutdown. To minimize risks, authorities opted to slow down plane traffic, adding insult to injury for already-frustrated travelers.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stepped up his calls on lawmakers to act – and fast – in passing legislation that would allow the federal government to reopen its doors.
? Like, can't they see each other?! And now with the FAA shortage and everything, it's just a recipe for disaster 
. I feel so bad for all those passengers who were stuck on the ground for hours because of this. I mean, I get that staffing shortages are real but come on United Airlines, how can you not have more staff at LaGuardia Airport?! And meanwhile, the government shutdown is just making everything worse 
. We need some kind of solution ASAP before more planes crash or something 
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but at the same time, those air traffic controllers are just MIA on purpose, man 
it's not like they're trying to cause chaos or anything. and what's with the staffing shortages? can't the government just, like, fix this now? 
United Airlines is trying to rebook all these passengers, but I guess that's a big ask when you've got nearly 80% of air traffic controllers out. gotta feel for those travelers stuck on the ground 
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. I'm not surprised to hear the FAA is dealing with a shortage of air traffic controllers - it's been a long time coming 
. The fact that nearly 80% were missing makes me wonder if we're just not taking this seriously enough 
. We need some real change, ASAP! Let's get our government back to work 
and make sure airports are safer for everyone 
. It's time for some action from the lawmakers, not just empty words 
.
I'm literally shaking my head thinking about this - two planes colliding at LaGuardia Airport? What were they even doing?! It's like a scene from an action movie, but not exactly the kind you want to see in real life 
. And on top of that, the staffing shortage is just taking it to a whole new level... I mean, 80% of air traffic controllers MIA?! That's just crazy 
. United Airlines should be, like, totally commended for keeping everyone safe, but come on, can't the government get its act together? 
Oh man, you won't believe what's been happening at LaGuardia Airport lately! Two planes from United Airlines almost got into a major crash 
, but still, it's crazy how close they came to disaster. And to make matters worse, the staffing shortage at the airport is driving passengers mad 
. I mean, who needs 80% of air traffic controllers missing from their posts? 
It's like, what's going on?! The CEO is right, though - we need some serious legislation to fix this ASAP 
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. It's just a matter of time before someone gets hurt, right? I mean, how hard is it to keep track of two planes on the ground? Apparently, not hard enough for United Airlines 
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Another close call at LaGuardia Airport? I'm just glad no one got hurt! 
It's not all bad news - if 80% of air traffic controllers aren't working, that means 20% are! Someone's gotta keep the plane flying while they're out on a break... and who knows, maybe they'll even get some rest while we're waiting for our flights to take off again? 
and now they're saying 80% of air traffic controllers are missing and they gotta slow down planes? what a joke! like, I get that the government shutdown is a big deal but does anyone think about the average joe who just wants to get to their destination without losing their mind?! 
can't even blame 'em for losing it 
and I'm so over the delays and cancellations... just wanna get where I'm going already 
u think dis is all just a coincidence? 
another close call at LaGuardia Airport I feel so bad for those 166 passengers who were just trying to catch their flight home... can't imagine how scary it must've been when those planes touched down on the ground like that!