Frontier Sues American Over Miami Airport Collision Damaging A321

Frontier Airlines has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines seeking damages exceeding $100,000 after a ground collision at Miami International Airport left one of its aircraft severely damaged and out of service for six months.

The lawsuit, filed in the District Court for the Southern District of Florida, accuses American Airlines of gross negligence as well as negligent training and supervision related to the incident. Frontier claims the damage and prolonged grounding of its aircraft caused significant financial losses beyond the direct repair costs, including lost revenue, lost profits, and continued lease payments while the aircraft was unusable.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on March 7, 2024, as an American Airlines Boeing 777-300ER was being pushed back from its gate for flight AA-929 to São Paulo. The widebody aircraft was positioned in a narrow alleyway with gates on either side. Parked directly opposite was a Frontier Airbus A321neo, which remained at the gate due to a ground delay program in effect at the time.

Frontier alleges that its A321neo was parked fully within the designated gate area and clear of any safety hazards. However, the pushback operation for the American Airlines aircraft was conducted in an “out-of-compliance” manner, allowing the Boeing 777 to encroach into Frontier’s required safety buffer zone. During the maneuver, the American aircraft struck the vertical stabilizer of the Frontier jet.

The collision caused what Frontier describes as significant structural damage to the vertical stabilizer attached to the aircraft’s tail. Following inspections by Airbus engineers, the stabilizer was deemed beyond repair. As a result, the aircraft was removed from service while the damaged component was completely removed and replaced with a new unit. The repair process kept the aircraft grounded for approximately six months, with the jet only returning to service on September 4, 2024.

Frontier says American Airlines agreed to cover the direct repair costs associated with the accident. However, the two carriers were unable to reach a settlement on additional damages. The lawsuit seeks compensation for lost use of the aircraft, lost profits during the six-month downtime, operational disruption, and lease payments that Frontier continued to make while the aircraft was grounded.

The complaint also raises broader safety concerns, alleging the Miami incident was not isolated. Frontier claims that another ground collision involving an American Airlines aircraft damaged a Frontier plane at Boston in 2024, arguing that repeated pushback-related incidents should have placed American “on notice of systemic deficiencies” in its safety practices and compliance protocols.

“As a direct and proximate result of American’s conduct, Frontier incurred substantial damages,” the lawsuit states, citing both financial and operational impacts.

By September 2025, the two parties had reached a partial settlement addressing repair expenses only. Frontier contends that unresolved losses prompted the decision to pursue legal action.

American Airlines has not yet filed a formal response to the lawsuit. The case is proceeding under docket number 1:26-cv-20686, and its outcome could carry implications for ground-handling standards and liability allocation at congested US airports.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, reuters.com, paddleyourownkanoo.com