Tuesday at Birmingham Airport, a TUI Boeing 787 Dreamliner narrowly avoided ripping off one of its doors.
While parked at the gate, the aircraft’s front left door nearly ripped off its hinges after coming into contact with mobile stairs during ground operations.
The Boeing 787-8, with registration G-TUIF, was involved in the incident which received substantial damage to the 1L door during the steps retraction. Reports indicate a forceful collision between the mobile stairs and the aircraft door, causing significant damage. Thankfully, no passengers were on board at the time of the incident.
Images circulating online show the door hanging precariously, held on by just a few remaining connections. While the full extent of the damage is yet to be determined, the incident highlights the potential dangers associated with ground operations and the importance of strict safety protocols.
In an avoidable ground incident, TUI Airways Boeing 787-8 aircraft (G-TUIF) is grounded after the left fwd passenger door was badly damaged as it was Ripped off by an Airstairs on the apron of Birmingham International Airport.#aircraft #aviation pic.twitter.com/4eP41QUM56
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) February 20, 2024
TUI, the airline involved, remains tight-lipped about the incident, with no official statement released as of yet. However, the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has reportedly launched a full-scale investigation to determine the cause and prevent similar occurrences in the future.
