CLEVELAND, OHIO— A group of passengers, including two young children, has filed a negligence lawsuit against Delta Air Lines (DL) and Spirit Airlines (NK) after a wingtip collision left them injured while boarding a flight at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).
The incident occurred on May 12, 2024, when the wingtip of a parked Delta Air Lines (DL) Boeing 737 struck the wing of a Spirit Airlines (NK) Airbus A321 during pushback at Cleveland (CLE). The lawsuit, filed this week in a California district court, accuses both carriers of failing to protect passengers from harm.
How the Cleveland Gate Collision Unfolded
The passengers were boarding Spirit Airlines flight NK655 at around 8 pm on May 12, 2024. At nearly the same moment, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 parked at an adjacent gate received clearance to push back for departure.
As the Boeing 737 was maneuvered away from its gate, its wingtip collided with the Spirit Airlines Airbus A321. The contact occurred at an extremely low speed. However, it was still strong enough to jolt the Spirit aircraft and throw several passengers off balance inside the cabin.
The timing proved significant. Many low-speed wingtip collisions at U.S. airports cause few injuries because passengers are already seated and secured. In this case, passengers were still standing in the aisle, stowing bags, and moving toward their seats when the impact happened.
Injuries Reported by the Passengers
Shawnell Byrd was standing at the back of the aircraft and about to sit down when the jolt pushed him sideways.
He later recalled a headache along with pain in his neck, back, and hips. Byrd was diagnosed with several injuries, including lumbar and neck strain, and his medical bills reached at least $3,499.
Cherice D. Jones-Byrd was seated at the point of impact but was thrown forward, causing her to hit her head. Amir R. Byrd was standing in the aisle, placing a carry-on bag in the overhead bin, when the collision occurred. He struck his head, right arm, and left knee.
Chamirra Lewis was injured while trying to settle her child. The force of the Delta aircraft clipping the Spirit plane threw her forward, and she hit her head.
What the Lawsuit Claims
The lawsuit argues that Delta was negligent in the way it moved its aircraft, allowing it to collide with the Spirit plane.
The plaintiffs are also suing Spirit Airlines, which is now bankrupt, claiming the carrier failed to protect its passengers and failed to implement a reasonable safety response.
The case names both airlines as responsible parties, framing the injuries as a preventable outcome of poor ground handling and an inadequate response after the impact.
A Pattern of Low-Speed Wingtip Collisions
Low-speed wingtip collisions between aircraft have occurred several times at U.S. airports in recent years. According to PYOK, passengers in most of these cases are already seated and strapped in, which limits the number of injuries. The aircraft involved, however, do not always escape without damage.
Frontier Airlines is currently suing American Airlines for more than $770,000 over damage caused to two of its aircraft during low-speed taxiing collisions at Miami International and Boston Logan airports.
The Boston Logan incident took place on November 25, 2024, when an American Airlines aircraft collided with the wing of a parked Frontier aircraft while pulling into its gate.
The Frontier plane was immediately removed from service, and the flight was cancelled so engineers could assess the damage. The aircraft was grounded for six days for extensive repairs.
Frontier’s attorneys stated that the repair cost alone came to $670,387.45. In September 2025, nearly a year after the accident, American Airlines agreed to cover half the repair cost. Frontier accepted the payment while keeping the right to recover further costs and damages later.
The airline is now demanding the outstanding $335,193.73, along with substantial damages for lost profits and operational costs tied to the aircraft’s grounding.
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