Wrong operation of vehicles or ground handling equipment on the apron/taxiway
What this relates to:
A vehicle fails to comply with instructions or traffic rules on the apron or taxiway. This can lead to a near collision with a moving aircraft. It can also happen with equipment or vehicles obstructing a taxiing aircraft.
Example:
A vehicle driver crosses the apron as an aircraft approaches from the right on the taxiway. The driver fails to yield the right of way, forcing the aircraft to brake hard to avoid a collision. Fortunately, all passengers are seated at the time. The aircraft then continues to the gate, where passengers disembark safely.
Remarks on the 2024 figures:
In 2024, 655 incidents of this type were reported on Swiss aerodromes, marking an increase in occurrence relative to flight movements (5.6 incidents per 10,000 aircraft movements, up from 4.9 in 2023). Most cases occurred on national and regional aerodromes. This trend is linked to the complexity of larger aerodromes and the high volume of vehicles and equipment operating on aprons and taxiways.
The most frequent cause was the incorrect positioning of equipment or vehicles on the apron or taxiway, which forces the pilot to stop and wait until the way is clear to continue taxi. Therefore, the severity of these incidents tends to be very low. In contrast, the severity level is higher when a vehicle violates the traffic rules and forces a pilot to take evasive action. Wrong operation of vehicles or equipment can in some cases be linked to maintenance work, which may necessitate the closure of a taxiway or a change in procedures that can confuse drivers.
Despite the increase, serious incidents – abrupt evasive action by pilots – accounted for less than 1% of the total in 2024. Furthermore, there were no collisions of taxiing aircraft and incorrectly operated equipment or vehicles. Most evasive actions involved abrupt and hard braking of the aircraft. The danger: passengers who have unfastened their seatbelts or are already standing can fall and injure themselves or other travellers.