Date: 201902
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Weather elements / visibility: Snow
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: None
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ramp ZZZ
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Captain
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Aircraft; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Airport; Weather; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: Current weather was reported as wind 300/23; vis 1 mile with blowing snowing and -18 C. Even though the visibility was reported as 1 mile; ground visibility was much better. The blowing snow was causing the 1 mile to be reported.  Upon arriving in ZZZ; [another aircraft] was still on the ground and parked in our normal parking spot. We were instructed and marshaled in to park behind them and slightly to the right. The ground crew was currently working on unloading/loading; but we were told that would be halted and they would turn our aircraft. The ramp was slick to walk on; a mix of glare ice/snow covered ice; but did not affect the safety to taxi an aircraft. Prior to starting; the ramp personnel asked if we wanted to make a 180 to taxi out or go around the [other aircraft]. The CA (Captain) told them we would go around. I completely agreed with this decision. Had we done the 180 we would have exposed the ramp area; that had ground equipment and numerous cargo pods; to a lot of jet blast. I had previously been in ZZZ and taxied around another jet; with wing walkers; successfully. We made a 45 degree turn and then paralleled the [other aircraft] to go past it. The CA was watching the left wing and ramp personnel. He asked how it looked on the right side as there was a large snow berm along the ramp. I said he looked good on that side. As we paralleled the other jet; I looked out the left side and could see 3 ramp personnel walking right with our wing and one of them had the marshaling wand straight up in the air. Shortly thereafter is when we contacted the other jet's winglet. The Captain of the freighter came out to assess the damage. A section of the winglet was sheared off and laying in front of our plane. That was moved and we were told it was clear to continue our taxi. The CA also talked with the FA's (Flight Attendants) to make sure everyone was alright back there and what was going on. We taxied out onto the runway; back taxied to the end of the runway; and exited to park in the same spot we were previously in. We then deplaned everyone. So far; the best thing I can think of is to just have one jet on the ground at a time. If for unseen circumstances; there are two jets on the ground; the second should wait at a different part of the ramp; out of the way.  If it is needed to park behind the other plane; turn the first one there first so no one has to taxi past another jet.


Second narrative: Weather 1 mile in blowing snow winds 30G35. [An aircraft] was parked in front of the terminal and the ramp crew parked passenger flight behind them. Parked pretty close to behind Aircraft Y. The ground crew stopped loading to work our flight. They unloaded and loaded our flight pretty fast. Started engine and got the wave off. As I started to taxi I noticed there were 3 wing walkers under the [other aircraft's] right wing. 2 had lighted wands. I kept my eyes on them as I taxied slowly passed the aircraft. Just when I thought we were passed we felt the left wing hit the right wing of the [other aircraft]. The wands were never crossed. We stopped the jet. The Captain from the other aircraft came out and moved the debris from the wingtip out of the way and I taxied via the runway back to the ramp. After we deplaned I debriefed the 2 out of 3 ramper crew. The lead ramper told me that as I was approaching the [other aircraft] he was telling the rampers with wands to stop the aircraft. He could see we were going to hit. The rampers with wands did nothing. The lead did not have wands. After talking to several pilots and the station manager in ZZZ it has been very frustrating with frequency of having 2 jets on the ground at the same time. ZZZ is probably our tightest ramp. It seems like we could stagger our flights for us not to have this happen on a regular basis. Of course things happen and we need to have a procedure in place for a safe operation. In this situation we could have delayed our takeoff in [our previous airport.] I did ask the [departure] station to call ZZZ to see how the timing was going to work. ZZZ just asked us not to leave early. ZZZ didn't tell [the departure airport] they had some loading and unloading issues that was causing long ground times. We could have waited for the [other aircraft] to move and we could have moved in front of the terminal once they were gone.


Synopsis: Air Carrier flight crew reported wing tip contact with parked aircraft due to improper ground crew marshalling.