Frontier Flight Delayed After Ground Hose Gets Pulled Into Engine at Charlotte Airport

Operations at Charlotte Douglas International Airport were briefly disrupted after a Frontier Airlines A320neo preparing for takeoff accidentally sucked a ground air-conditioning hose into its left engine. No one was injured, but the mishap forced the aircraft out of service.

Passengers heading to New York faced nearly nine hours of delays while Frontier arranged a replacement plane and conducted required safety inspections. Aviation experts say the incident highlights the ongoing risks of ground equipment operating too close to active engines, even with strict FAA safety protocols in place.