Aircraft Sustains Extensive Damage in New Year's Day Storm
A Boeing 737-800 aircraft, registered as 9A-LAB and operated by Croatian ACMI specialist ETF Airways, was severely damaged during a powerful hailstorm in Cordoba, Argentina, on January 1, 2026. The incident has led to the aircraft's grounding, with maintenance teams currently assessing the extensive damage and working towards its restoration to airworthy condition.
Operational Impact on Flybondi
At the time of the incident, the damaged aircraft was part of a fleet of three ETF Airways Boeing 737-800s wet-leased to Argentinian low-cost carrier Flybondi. This agreement was in place for the southern hemisphere's summer season, running from December 2025 until late March 2026, with all three jets based in Cordoba. The grounding of 9A-LAB has created notable operational challenges for Flybondi, resulting in a series of flight cancellations and delays across its network.
Extreme Weather Conditions in Cordoba
The hailstorm that struck Cordoba on New Year's Day brought extreme weather conditions to the province. Reports indicate winds reaching up to seventy kilometers per hour, accompanied by heavy rainfall and intense hail. The severe weather caused widespread damage beyond the airport, affecting vehicles and infrastructure, and leading to disruptions in the electricity supply. Tragically, the storm also resulted in one fatality.
Previous Incident for 9A-LAB
This is not the first operational setback for the aircraft 9A-LAB. In 2021, while landing at Bremen airport on a flight from Pristina, the aircraft experienced a wildlife strike involving a wild rabbit. The incident caused significant damage to one of its engines, rendering it unsafe to fly and necessitating a twelve-day grounding period for repairs and engine replacement.
5 Comments
Raphael
Nature's power is no joke. Glad the damage was caught on the ground.
Leonardo
It's good to see the immediate response in assessing the damage and working towards restoration. Still, the fact that a single grounded plane can cause such widespread disruption during a peak travel season suggests that Flybondi's operational planning might need more robust redundancy.
Raphael
While the weather event was a force of nature, beyond human control, it's concerning that this particular Boeing 737 has a history of significant damage. This incident, following the wildlife strike, might warrant an even deeper dive into its maintenance records and operational history.
Michelangelo
Another incident for this particular plane? Sounds like a recurring problem.
Raphael
The hailstorm was undoubtedly extreme and unavoidable, causing significant damage. However, airlines operating in regions prone to such severe weather events should perhaps invest more in protective infrastructure or alternative parking solutions to minimize fleet vulnerability.