Southwest pilots avert disaster as runway intruder investigated
Only the composure of the pilots and their swift reaction saved the passengers and crew of a Southwest Airlines plane from disaster. The plane was approaching landing when a private jet intruded onto the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the incident at Chicago Midway Airport.
On social media, a recording appeared showing how Southwest flight 2504 was approaching landing at Midway Airport, then climbed back into the air to avoid a collision with the jet that unexpectedly found itself on the runway.
The FAA reported that the jet entered the runway without permission, forcing the Southwest crew to perform a "go-around" maneuver to avoid a collision.
The plane landed safely
After performing a preventive maneuver, Southwest Airlines confirmed that the flight concluded with a safe landing at Midway Airport. "The crew followed safety procedures and the flight landed without incident," Southwest stated. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees," the statement emphasized.
The control tower records indicate that the aircraft was instructed to hold at the intersection while the Southwest flight attempted to land. A spokesman for Flexjet, a luxury private jet service, confirmed that the company is aware of the incident involving one of its aircraft.
- Flexjet adheres to the highest safety standards and we are conducting a thorough investigation. Any action to rectify and ensure the highest safety standards will be taken.
A series of aviation incidents
This is the latest in a series of aviation incidents causing concern among travelers. On Saturday evening, a Delta plane en route to Australia had to return to Los Angeles due to smoke detected in the kitchen. A similar incident occurred on Monday when a Delta plane returned to Atlanta shortly after takeoff due to a report of "possible smoke" on board. Earlier this month, a Delta plane flipped over during landing at Toronto Airport, injuring 21 people.
Last month, there were two fatal aviation disasters. In a mid-air collision of a military helicopter with an American Airlines plane near Reagan National Airport in Washington, 67 people died. A few days later, a medical jet crashed near a shopping center in Philadelphia. All six passengers and a civilian in a car were killed. An additional 24 people were injured.
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