On Monday night, an Airbus A380 operated by Air France clipped a much a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operated by Comair for Delta Air Lines on a dark, wet tarmac at New York City's Kennedy Airport, spinning it like a toy as hundreds of passengers sat in both planes.
No one was injured, but the accident has raised questions of safety, both at JFK and at LAX.
"It's a matter of having two airplanes at the same place at the same time," states Michael Barr, USC Aviation Safety Expert.
At LAX about $100 million was spent to accommodate large aircraft, including the A380.
Taxiway's were widened, and two gates were added at each end of the Bradley International Terminal.
But safety expert Barr says that ultimately, it's the crew's responsibility to make sure there is wing tip clearance.
