B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 204; Flight Crew Type 6000
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Upon landing; we held out waiting for our Gate. When the [previous flight] finally called for push; Ground instructed us to proceed to the gate. At that time the Crew at the adjacent Gate also called for push. They were instructed to hold on the gate until we pulled into our gate. We pulled to the start of the J-line and stopped while the Rampers got into position and got wands. Once we were given the signal to proceed; we cleared the safety zone and continued. Seconds later; we felt the airplane strike something. The Captain looked out the window and saw that the plane at the adjacent Gate had started pushing back and we had struck their wingtip.I don't feel like there is anything we could have done to prevent this. We were on centerline; had a clear zone; a Marshaller giving us the go ahead and Wing Walkers. I am not sure why the other Crew was moving before we pulled in. I can say that the Wing Walkers may need some training on what they are looking for and how to quickly communicate any danger.
As I was taxiing into the gate; my left wing tip impacted the right wing tip of an aircraft at the adjacent Gate. Here are the facts leading up to the event. We landed and had to hold out for a few minutes to wait for the Gate to open. After the aircraft at the Gate had completed its pushback off the gate; Ground Control instructed us to enter the ramp on the left side of the ramp and proceed to the Gate. I did so.As we entered the Safety Zone; we both cleared and announced 'Safety Zone clear'. We had a Marshaller with wands marshaling us in. I was right on the centerline proceeding slowly and safely. Another Ramp Worker was standing just to the Marshall's right side. Everything seemed normal. Approximately halfway into the Safety Zone I felt the aircraft shudder a bit. I immediately stopped the aircraft. I looked to my left and could see that the winglet on the aircraft at the adjacent Gate had been damaged. I looked to the Marshaller and his Coworker. Both of them seemed confused as to why I stopped. I took a few seconds to collect myself; and determined that the best course of action would be to continue following the Marshaller's directions and park the aircraft.The deplaning of the Passengers and termination of the aircraft was normal. I then used my electronic flight bag to access my flight operations manual and proceeded; by the numbers; to make the appropriate phone calls and pull the cockpit voice recorder circuit breaker.What caused the loss of separation is the real question. I was on center line. The Wing Walker for my gate appeared to be standing right next to the Marshaller and was looking toward the area bordering the junction of the Safety Zones for the Gates; and yet; no stop signal was given. At some of our stations we have a Marshaller and two Wing Walkers. When this happens the Wing Walkers are far out on the ramp. In these cases I am given the stop signal if the Wing Walkers are not in position. This seems like a vastly superior system and certainly would have prevented this incident.
B737-700 flight crew; taxiing into their gate under a Marshall's direction; reported contact with the wingtip of the aircraft pushing back from the adjacent gate.