Near-Miss incident at Boston’s Logan International Airport causes concern.


Key Points:

  • A passenger jet aborted its takeoff at Logan International Airport due to another plane's proximity.

  • The FAA is scrutinizing the recent surge in near-miss incidents at various airports.

  • Despite the rise in these incidents, the U.S. hasn't seen a fatal airline crash since 2009.

BOSTON — A concerning situation unfolded at Boston’s Logan International Airport when an American Airlines jet was forced to abort its takeoff after a Spirit Airlines flight neared the runway's hold line. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) disclosed that an air traffic controller, identifying the potential risk, halted the American Airlines flight, prioritizing safety.

The recent event at Logan is one of many disconcerting incidents at the airport. Thankfully, the situation didn't lead to any injuries, but it undeniably rattled passengers. As a result, the FAA has launched a probe to understand the circumstances surrounding the event.

Following the incident, the American Airlines plane returned to its gate and took off approximately 90 minutes later. The Spirit Airlines aircraft, meanwhile, had been inbound from Atlanta. Both airlines responded to the occurrence, underscoring their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety of their passengers and crew. Spirit Airlines also conveyed its willingness to offer any requisite aid to FAA's investigators.

However, the incident at Logan isn't an isolated one. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have been actively investigating several near-miss events at different airports in the country throughout the year. The increase in such incidents prompted the FAA to conduct a “safety summit” in March. Notably, a similar alarming event occurred last week when a private aircraft, ordered to halt its landing at San Diego International Airport, barely escaped a collision with a departing Southwest Airlines jet on the same runway.

In another development, investigators are examining a possible loss of cabin pressure during an American Airlines flight over Florida. Passengers were alarmed when oxygen masks deployed, and the plane descended rapidly, dropping 15,000 feet in just three minutes. It eventually landed safely in Gainesville, Florida. In such scenarios, pilots typically aim to reach altitudes with higher oxygen concentrations if they suspect cabin pressure loss.

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It's worth noting that despite the uptick in these alarming incidents, the U.S. airline industry has maintained an impressive safety record, with no fatal crashes reported since 2009.