There was yet another close call between airplanes, as an Alaska Airlines plane had to
avoid a Southwest Airlines jet by aborting its takeoff. The incident
happened Thursday at Nashville International Airport.
There were no injuries, but the sudden
decrease in takeoff speed blew out two tires on the Alaska Airlines jets.
It is the second
such incident this week.
The near-mishap was "due to a
potential traffic conflict on the runway," Alaska Airlines said in a
statement.
It once again brings air traffic
controllers into the spotlight and questions the safety of runways and taxiways
at American airports. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did say that Southwest
Airlines Flight 2029 was cleared to cross the end of the runway.
"We're deeply sorry for the
concerning experience this created for our guests and crew members,"
Alaska Airlines said.
Passengers on the Alaska Airlines plane
were expected to be put on new equipment and taken to their destination in
Seattle on Thursday night. The near-miss is being investigated by the FAA and
the National Transportation Safety Board.
"Nothing is more important to
Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees," Southwest said
in a statement.
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