Aviation safety comes under scrutiny as two separate incidents on the same day highlight recent close calls in U.S. air travel. The first case involved Southwest Airlines Flight 2504, which had to abort landing at Chicago's Midway Airport on February 25, just before 9 a.m. local time. The flight, arriving from Omaha, was approaching the runway when a Flexjet business jet crossed the path of the Southwest plane without authorization, forcing the crew to perform a precautionary go-around to avoid a potential collision. Video footage captured the incident, showing the Southwest aircraft just feet above the runway before climbing abruptly to an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet.

According to the FAA, audio recordings revealed that the private jet's pilot had incorrectly repeated instructions from air traffic control, leading to the unauthorized runway crossing. After this close call, Southwest confirmed that the flight landed safely without incident, emphasizing that the safety of customers and employees is their top priority.

Simultaneously, around 8:20 a.m. on the same day, American Airlines Flight 2246 was forced to cancel its landing at Reagan Washington National Airport to avoid colliding with another plane that was departing. The FAA stated that an air traffic controller instructed the flight to perform a go-around to ensure safe separation from the departing aircraft. Despite the abrupt maneuver, American Airlines stated that their pilots executed the procedure routinely, and the flight landed without incident after the go-around.

The incidents come amid growing concerns about aviation safety, particularly following a series of crashes in recent weeks, including a tragic collision involving an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight that resulted in 67 fatalities. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are currently investigating these recent air traffic occurrences.

These events underscore the importance of strict adherence to air traffic control instructions as the aviation industry faces increased scrutiny over safety protocols. With runway incursions reported to be rising, the industry remains vigilant in its efforts to prevent similar dangerous situations in the future.

For ongoing updates, check the original reports from The Independent, Los Angeles Times, and Newsweek.