SINGAPORE, April 24 — A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight to Frankfurt was delayed for over 90 minutes on April 22 after a catering truck collided with one of the Airbus A380’s engines, forcing a last-minute aircraft change and the subsequent cancellation of the return flight.The incident occurred at Changi Airport before passengers had boarded flight SQ326, which was originally scheduled to depart at 12:35pm, The Straits Times reported.An SIA spokesperson confirmed that a catering truck “made contact with the Airbus A380’s engine,” requiring repairs and a switch to a replacement aircraft. No passengers were on board at the time, and no injuries were reported.The airline did not disclose the operator of the truck or the extent of the damage to the engine.Affected passengers were offered refreshments while they waited.
The flight eventually departed Singapore at 2:13pm with 452 customers and 28 crew members on board, arriving in Frankfurt at 8:40pm local time.The delay had a significant knock-on effect. The return flight, SQ325, which was scheduled to depart from Frankfurt to Singapore later that day, had to be cancelled.SIA explained that the late arrival of the aircraft in Germany meant it could not depart before Frankfurt Airport’s strict operating curfew, which prohibits take-offs and landings between 11:00pm and 5:00am.All passengers affected by the cancellation were provided with hotel accommodation and assistance with rebooking connecting flights.The airline has issued a sincere apology to all affected customers for the inconvenience, reiterating that the safety of its customers and crew remains its top priority.