Close Call at JFK Airport: ‘If We Hadn’t Bailed Out, We Would Have Collided’

A flight takes off as another lands at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arling
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

Two planes experienced a close call at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City this month in a situation that could have resulted in a collision if one plane had failed to bail out, as frustrations continue under Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s leadership.

The near miss occurred November 10, as American Airlines flight AA28, arriving from Los Angeles International Airport, approached JFK and was cleared for its approach to runway 22 left, according to a description of the incident. Another flight, a Tradewind Aviation Pilatus PC-12 hailing from White Plains Westchester County Airport, was cleared for approach to runway 22 right.

“For some reason GPD235 joined 22 left localizer,” a description from the channel “You can see ATC” read, resulting in American 28 reporting that the other plane was above them “and started the avoiding action.”

Ultimately, the American flight concluded, “If we hadn’t bailed out, we would have collided.”

Watch the video here:

The near miss comes as Buttigieg continues to absolve himself of continuing transportation issues that have plagued the Biden presidency — from the Ohio train derailment in February to 2022’s Southwest Airlines holiday fiasco.

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Alana Mastrangelo / Breitbart News

Buttigieg has been repeatedly harangued for his seeming lack of interest in his job, and that reality hit home for thousands of travelers yet again over the Thanksgiving holiday, which saw thousands of flights across the U.S. delayed and canceled, and roads at a standstill. Meanwhile, Buttigieg released a video bragging about his department’s so-called accomplishments, asserting that the “aviation system is handling the increased volume well.”

This is not the first time JFK has seen a near collision, as two passenger planes — one Delta Air Lines and one American Airlines — experienced a close call in January. In that incident, the Delta Air Lines flight was cleared for takeoff but had to abruptly halt due to the American Airlines flight crossing a runway in their path.

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“Delta 1943, cancel takeoff clearance! Delta 1943, cancel takeoff clearance!” an air controller frantically said.

https://twitter.com/xJonNYC/status/1614370783899303938/video/1

That same month, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confessed its staff “unintentionally deleted files” in a computer system, which resulted in the unexpected January 11 commercial airline ground stop, despite initial suspicions of a cyber-attack.

Meanwhile, the FAA launched what it described as the “Be ATC” campaign over the summer, which aims to recruit what is described as the “next diverse generation of air traffic controllers.”

“Building on last year’s successful campaign to receive more applications from women and other underrepresented groups, the FAA will again work with diverse organizations, host Instagram Live conversations, and work with social media influencers and others,” the press release read in part, as Virginia Boyle, Vice President for System Operations Services in the FAA’s Air Traffic Organization, asserted that employing those with a “wide range of backgrounds” will somehow “help enhance our safety mission.”

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