EASYJET passengers’ travel plans went belly-up today when a lorry accelerated into the undercarriage of a jet.
Chaos ensued as the plane was set to transport Brits around Europe on six flights.
Dramatic pictures obtained by The Sun showed how significant damage was done to the aircraft’s fuselage.
Emergency vehicles attended the scene, and easyJet bosses launched an immediate enquiry.
A yellow Scania vehicle careered into the rear of the 15-year-old twin-engine Airbus A320 with 146 seats.
The heavy duty truck’s windscreen could be seen smashed amid the drama at Paris Orly airport early Monday morning.
A source told The Sun: “It happened first thing and everyone is in shock. It’s baffling how this happened.
“There was no way the plane could take off. It was due to complete six flights today but will now be grounded for rigorous safety checks.
“Bosses were forced to rip up flight plans. It’s a major incident and will leave a bill in excess of £100,000.”
The Sun understands that investigators are probing if the ground services truck driver accidentally pressed the accelerator rather than the brake – causing his vehicle to career into the jet.
A similar incident caused delays before the take-off of a British Airways aircraft in Marrakesh in 2023.
An airline spokesperson told The Sun: “EasyJet can confirm that an airport vehicle struck an aircraft at Paris Orly airport while it was parked overnight and no passengers were on-board.
“The aircraft will undergo the required inspections and repairs in line with manufacturer instructions.”
It comes after an EasyJet pilot was suspended after his packed holiday jet flew too close to a mountain and was just seconds away from disaster.
Captain Paul Elsworth was grounded following the cockpit drama as the plane descended towards the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in Egypt.
Meanwhile, a holiday jet row over a boy watching The Karate Kid saw a passenger bust-up at 30,000ft and emergency diversion.
The easyJet pilot decided to land after two families came to blows.
Both of them were thrown off the plane when it landed to be greeted by police.
But the five-year-old boy’s mum insists they were the victims and is threatening to sue the airline, which has banned those involved from future flights.
She said: “This incident involved racial abuse, discrimination, and physical assault.
“My son was left extremely scared and distressed.”
