A sharp-eyed air traffic controller may have prevented a potential disaster involving Air Force One. Shortly after departing Washington, D.C., the President’s plane headed northeast over New York, en route to an official state visit to Great Britain. The aircraft was traveling at 32,000 feet, its usual cruising altitude, with no planes reported within eight miles. However, a Spirit Airlines flight flying at the same altitude on a converging path created a risk of collision.
The controller repeatedly warned the pilot of the Spirit Airlines plane to adjust course, growing frustrated with the lack of response. Audio recordings captured the exchange, highlighting the stark contrast between the professionalism of Air Force One’s crew and the apparent negligence of the Spirit Airlines pilot.
Flight tracking data indicated the two planes came as close as 11 miles apart at one point, with paths that could have intersected. A spokesperson for Spirit Airlines stated the flight followed procedures and instructions, landing safely in Boston. The incident sparked debate over whether the controller’s intervention was warranted, with some suggesting the proximity posed no real threat.
Air Force One ultimately arrived in London without incident, marking the start of President Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom.