A Ryanair flight from Edinburgh to Faro collided with a fuel truck while taxiing for departure on the morning of December 22, 2025, prompting an emergency response, a full evacuation of passengers, and on-ground disruption at Scotland’s busiest airport.

Although no injuries were reported and there was no fire, the incident forced the grounding of the original aircraft, triggered a visible deployment of fire and rescue resources on the apron, and led to a delayed departure for holidaymakers bound for Portugal’s Algarve coast.

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Collision on the taxiway at Edinburgh Airport

The incident occurred at around 10:00 a.m. local time as Ryanair flight FR5667, a Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, taxied toward the runway at Edinburgh Airport ahead of its scheduled service to Faro.

According to statements from the airline and emergency services, the aircraft’s wingtip made contact with the cab of a fuel truck positioned close to the taxiway, resulting in minor structural damage to the jet and bringing its departure to an abrupt halt.

Passengers on board reported feeling a sudden jolt and hearing a loud impact as the aircraft was moving at low speed.

From the cabin, some travelers said they could see emergency vehicles converging on the plane within minutes, underscoring the seriousness with which airfield ground incidents are treated even when the risk of fire or fuel leakage is quickly contained.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that it had been alerted to reports of “an aircraft colliding with a fuel truck” at Edinburgh Airport shortly after 10:00 a.m. Six fire appliances were initially mobilized as a precaution, standard practice where fuel and an aircraft are involved.

After crews assessed the situation on the stand and confirmed there was no ongoing fire or fuel spill hazard, most of the response was scaled back, with one appliance remaining briefly to support airport fire crews and operations staff.

Ryanair described the contact between the wingtip and the fuel vehicle as an isolated ground incident and stressed that passenger and crew safety had not been compromised.

The airline said the aircraft was withdrawn from service for inspection and maintenance, in line with standard procedures for any structural contact on the ground.

Passenger evacuation and immediate response on the apron

Following the collision, passengers were instructed to remain seated while the cockpit crew and airport authorities evaluated the situation.

Although there was no fire and the aircraft remained upright and stable, the proximity to a fuel truck and the risk, however remote, of a leak or ignition meant that a controlled evacuation was quickly deemed necessary.

Airport steps were brought to the aircraft and travelers disembarked in an orderly fashion rather than via the emergency slides, reflecting the fact that the situation, while serious, did not require a rapid slide-assisted evacuation.

Ground staff guided passengers back to the terminal, where they were advised that a replacement aircraft would be arranged to operate the flight to Faro.

Some passengers described feeling shaken by the experience, particularly as many were departing for holiday trips and had not anticipated an emergency scenario before even reaching the runway.

Others praised the calm demeanor of cabin crew and the quick arrival of fire and rescue vehicles, which helped reassure those on board that the situation was under control.

Ryanair and handling staff distributed modest refreshment vouchers to those affected while they waited in the departure area for updated information.

While compensation discussions typically follow later under European air passenger rights rules, the immediate focus for the airline and the airport was operational: getting travelers safely rebooked and restoring normal airfield movements.

Replacement aircraft and knock-on delays

With the original Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 grounded for inspection after its wingtip contact with the fuel truck, Ryanair sourced a replacement aircraft to operate the Edinburgh to Faro route.

Airport and airline sources indicated that the substitute jet was positioned and prepared within a couple of hours, allowing the flight to finally depart late morning or early afternoon, several hours behind its original schedule.

Updated departure boards at Edinburgh Airport showed the Faro service rescheduled for shortly after midday. Travelers reboarded once the new aircraft was ready, undergoing a second boarding process and standard pre-flight safety checks.

While some passengers voiced frustration at the delay and the small value of the interim vouchers, the majority ultimately opted to continue their journey once reassured that safety checks had been completed on the substitute plane.

Airport officials emphasized that wider operations remained largely unaffected. Departures and arrivals continued broadly on schedule, with only minor disruption in the gate and stand areas immediately around the grounded Ryanair jet.

The rapid clearance of the affected taxiway and the redeployment of emergency equipment meant that any ripple effects were short-lived compared with more severe airfield closures seen in higher-impact incidents.

Nonetheless, the episode highlighted how even a low-speed ground contact can cascade into hours-long delays for individual flights.

For holiday hubs such as Faro, where winter sun travelers often arrive on tightly coordinated schedules and onward transfers, the late arrival of a single aircraft can temporarily disrupt local tourism providers waiting for guests.

Statements from Ryanair, airport authorities and emergency services

In a statement issued after the incident, Ryanair confirmed that the flight from Edinburgh to Faro had been preparing for departure when “the wingtip came in contact with the cab of a fuel truck.”

The airline added that passengers had “disembarked normally” and that a replacement aircraft had been arranged to complete the journey to southern Portugal later in the day.

Ryanair reiterated its commitment to safety and noted that the aircraft involved would remain grounded pending a detailed technical inspection. Even minor wingtip strikes can require careful assessment to ensure that aerodynamic surfaces, fuel systems, and electronic components housed in the wing are free of hidden damage.

Such evaluations are routine but must be completed before the aircraft can re-enter service.

Edinburgh Airport confirmed that an incident involving a departing aircraft and a fuel vehicle had taken place and said there had been “no impact on the wider operation of the airport.”

The airport stressed that emergency services had responded in line with established safety procedures and that there had been no fire and no injuries as a result of the collision.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stated that it had been contacted after reports that “an aircraft collided with a fuel truck” and that multiple appliances had initially been dispatched.

After confirming that there was no active fire and that the situation was contained, the service scaled back its presence and left the remainder of the management to airport fire and operations teams.

Officials have not yet provided detailed public comment pending the outcome of any formal investigation.

What is known about the flight and aircraft

Ryanair flight FR5667 operates between Edinburgh and Faro, linking Scotland’s capital with the Algarve’s principal international gateway, a route popular with holidaymakers and Portuguese nationals living abroad.

Flight time on the sector is typically around three hours and twenty minutes, with Ryanair and other carriers serving the connection seasonally and in line with demand patterns for southern European leisure travel.

The aircraft involved in Monday’s incident has been identified in aviation databases as a Boeing 737 MAX 8-200, part of Ryanair’s high-density, latest-generation fleet.

The MAX 8-200 variant is configured to carry more passengers than earlier 737 models while offering improved fuel efficiency and reduced noise, factors that have been central to Ryanair’s fleet modernization over recent years.

Ground collisions of this type generally occur at low speed and rarely result in serious injuries, but they can inflict costly structural damage.

Wingtip and ground vehicle strikes often lead to aircraft being taken out of service for repairs, disrupting schedules and forcing operators to juggle aircraft rotations, especially during busy holiday periods.

As of Monday afternoon, the Ryanair jet involved remained on the ground at Edinburgh for inspection and any necessary maintenance.

It is expected that the aircraft will only be released back into commercial service once engineers, the airline’s safety department, and potentially regulators are satisfied that it is airworthy.

Safety protocols and ground operation risks

The collision between the Ryanair jet and the fuel truck underscores the complexity and inherent risks of ground operations at busy airports.

Even when aircraft are moving at a walking pace, the combination of tight stand layouts, multiple service vehicles, and constrained taxiway space can create hazardous situations if coordination breaks down.

Standard operating procedures typically require close coordination between pilots, ground handlers, and vehicle drivers during pushback and taxi. Tow trucks, marshallers, and ramp control must all be aware of the position of refueling vehicles, catering trucks, and baggage carts before authorizing movement.

Early passenger accounts from Monday’s incident suggest there may have been a miscommunication or lapse in visibility that led to the fuel truck being in the path of the moving aircraft.

Fuel trucks represent a particular concern, not only because of their size and proximity to aircraft wings and engines but also due to the potential for flammable fuel spills.

As a result, airports and airlines drill emergency protocols for contact involving refueling equipment, prioritizing rapid fire response, immediate shutdown of fuel systems, and controlled evacuation of aircraft if necessary.

Aviation regulators and airport safety teams typically conduct thorough reviews after such events, examining ground radar recordings, radio communications, and statements from pilots and drivers.

Findings can lead to changes in ramp layouts, updated driving rules, or refreshed training for ground staff, with the aim of reducing the likelihood of similar incidents in the future.

For many passengers on board FR5667, the timing of the incident heightened the sense of disruption. With December 22 falling just days before Christmas, the flight carried a mix of Scottish holidaymakers headed for the Algarve sunshine and Portuguese residents returning home for the festive season.

Several travelers reported that family members were waiting for them in Faro and had to adjust pickup times as the delay lengthened.

Faro Airport serves as the primary gateway to the Algarve, one of Europe’s most tourism-dependent regions. Direct flights from northern European cities like Edinburgh are essential for local hotels, rental operators, and tour companies that rely on pre-Christmas and winter sun traffic.

While a single delayed arrival is unlikely to have a significant economic impact, such incidents do focus attention on the reliability of key air links, especially during peak travel windows.

Tourism analysts note that safety events, even minor ones, can temporarily unsettle traveler confidence.

In this case, the absence of injuries, the lack of fire or visible fuel leak, and the successful re-accommodation of passengers on a replacement aircraft within a few hours will help to limit any longer-term reputational effect on the route or on Faro as a destination.

Ryanair, which positions itself as a leading carrier for affordable European holidays, will nonetheless be keen to demonstrate that its handling of the ground collision was swift, transparent, and aligned with both regulatory expectations and passenger safety priorities.

Next steps and potential investigations

In the wake of the incident, investigators from relevant aviation safety bodies are expected to review precisely how the collision occurred.

In the United Kingdom, ground incidents involving commercial airliners are typically assessed by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which may open a formal investigation or gather limited evidence depending on the severity and implications of the event.

Key questions are likely to focus on ground handling procedures at the time, the positioning and movement of the fuel truck, the instructions given to the flight crew, and whether visibility, workload, or communication breakdowns contributed to the contact.

Investigators will also want to determine whether existing protocols were followed and, if they were, whether additional mitigations are needed.

For Ryanair and its ground handling partners at Edinburgh, the incident will prompt internal safety reviews, including refresher training where necessary and potential adjustments to how aircraft and vehicles are sequenced around the stands used by high-frequency operators.

While Monday’s collision resulted in only minor damage and no injuries, the presence of a fuel vehicle at the center of the episode elevates its importance from a risk-management perspective.

Any findings or safety recommendations emerging from official reports in the coming weeks or months will be watched closely by airport operators across Europe, many of whom face similar challenges in juggling rising passenger numbers, limited apron space, and the need to maintain robust safety margins in all weather and visibility conditions.

FAQ

Q1. What exactly happened to the Ryanair flight at Edinburgh Airport?
The Edinburgh to Faro Ryanair flight, operating as FR5667, was taxiing for departure on the morning of December 22, 2025, when its wingtip collided with the cab of a fuel truck on the apron, prompting an emergency response and evacuation of passengers.

Q2. Were any passengers or crew injured in the collision?
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. Emergency services assessed the situation on scene and confirmed that while the aircraft suffered minor structural damage, there were no casualties.

Q3. Did a fire break out or fuel leak as a result of the collision?
Authorities at Edinburgh Airport and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service stated that there was no fire linked to the incident. Fire appliances were deployed as a precaution due to the involvement of a fuel vehicle, but the situation was quickly declared safe.

Q4. How were passengers evacuated from the aircraft?
Passengers were initially asked to remain seated while the cockpit crew and airport teams assessed the risk. They then disembarked in a controlled manner using steps brought to the aircraft rather than the emergency slides, indicating there was no immediate life-threatening danger.

Q5. What happened to the aircraft that hit the fuel truck?
The Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 involved in the collision was taken out of service for inspection and any necessary repairs. It will remain grounded until engineering checks confirm it is safe and airworthy.

Q6. Did the flight to Faro eventually depart?
Yes. Ryanair arranged a replacement aircraft to operate the Edinburgh to Faro service. After a delay of several hours, passengers were reboarded and the flight departed later in the day.

Q7. Were other flights at Edinburgh Airport affected?
Airport officials said that overall operations were not significantly impacted. Apart from short-term stand and taxiway restrictions around the incident site, departures and arrivals continued largely as scheduled.

Q8. Will passengers receive compensation for the disruption?
In the immediate aftermath, passengers were given small refreshment vouchers while waiting in the terminal. Any additional compensation would depend on the outcome of Ryanair’s internal review and the application of European air passenger rights regulations, which typically consider the cause and length of delays.

Q9. Who will investigate the incident and what will they look at?
UK aviation safety authorities are expected to review the ground collision, potentially including the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Investigators will likely analyze ground movement procedures, vehicle positioning, communications between pilots and ground crews, and compliance with established safety protocols.

Q10. Is it still safe to fly this route between Edinburgh and Faro?
There is no indication that the route itself is unsafe. The incident involved a ground collision at low speed rather than an in-flight problem. Once investigations are complete and any lessons are implemented, safety along the Edinburgh–Faro corridor should remain consistent with the high standards expected in European commercial aviation.