AustraliaBrisbane
“Qantas 737 Smacks Brisbane Airbridge on Arrival — No One Hurt, Just a Bit of a Nose Bump”
A Qantas Boeing 737-800 collided with an airbridge while taxiing at Brisbane Airport after arriving from New Zealand. No injuries were reported. Here’s what happened, how often it occurs, and what it means for safety.
Crikey! A Qantas Boeing 737-800 had a bit of a nose-nudge with an aerobridge on Wednesday arvo, right after landing at Brisbane International Airport from Queenstown, NZ. The incident happened during taxiing around 6:30pm, and while the plane didn’t exactly “crash,” it did give the airbridge a love tap.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported — just some startled faces, a few muttered “bloody hells,” and a walk down the tarmac via stairs instead of the usual bridge.
Incident Overview Table
| Detail | Info / Outcome |
|---|---|
| Flight | QF186 (Queenstown, NZ → Brisbane, AU) |
| Aircraft | Boeing 737-800 |
| Date/Time | Wed, ~6:30pm (local), June 18, 2025 |
| What Happened | Nose collided with aerobridge during taxi-in |
| Passengers Injured | None |
| Disembark Method | External stairs (stairs like old-school rockstars) |
| Repair Status | Under engineering inspection in Brisbane |
| Airport Action | Joint investigation with Qantas underway |
Safety Context & Qantas Track Record
| Event Type | Frequency (Australia) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxiway collisions (ground) | ~3–5/year (minor) | Almost always minor, like this one |
| In-air incidents (737 models) | Extremely rare | None fatal for Qantas, ever |
| Qantas 737 incidents (2022–2024) | 2 notable ground knocks | Similar Perth 737 scrape in 2024 |
Qantas has famously never had a fatal jet crash — their rep for safety is so good even Rain Man quotes it.
Why It’s No Cause for Panic
- Low speed: Taxiing speeds are under 30 km/h — not fast enough to hurt anyone.
- Immediate action: Engineers grounded the aircraft for inspection.
- Regulatory response: Brisbane Airport and Qantas are investigating together.
- Passenger care: Everyone got off safely, just with an extra few stairs and stories to tell.
What Happens Next
- Aircraft inspected, repaired, then returned to service.
- Brisbane Airport reviews docking & bridge systems.
- Internal Qantas procedure review to prevent repeat.
