Manchester Airport experienced a ground incident forcing the cancellation of a flight bound for Lanzarote.
The Airbus A320 aircraft, registered G-UZLM, was preparing to operate flight U22029 to Lanzarote on Saturday morning when the mishap occurred during pushback from the gate. According to eyewitnesses, the tow vehicle collided with the underside of the fuselage and damaged the aircraft’s nose landing gear, prompting ground crews to halt operations immediately.
Emergency services were called to the scene, though no injuries to passengers or crew were reported. Passengers were subsequently disembarked and returned to the terminal as engineers carried out inspections of the aircraft.
An easyJet spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating:
We’re sorry flight has been delayed. This is because of a technical issue that needs to be inspected by our engineers. This can take between 30 minutes to two hours.
The extent of the damage has not been fully disclosed, though the impact to the nose gear is expected to require repairs before the aircraft can re-enter service. Ground handling accidents, while relatively rare, can cause significant delays and require careful safety inspections.
Manchester Airport said normal operations were continuing and that the incident was under investigation.
