A Southwest Airlines flight had to abort its landing at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on Tuesday morning to avoid a potential collision with another aircraft that entered the runway without authorization.
Flight 2504 performed a “precautionary go-around” after air traffic controllers noticed the unauthorized aircraft, a Flexjet business jet, on the runway, according to a Southwest Airlines spokesperson. The Southwest flight was able to land safely without incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident occurred around 8:50 a.m., stating that the Flexjet jet entered the runway without clearance. A video posted on X by the account Flight Emergency appears to show the Southwest plane approaching the runway before quickly taking off again as the other aircraft crossed in front of it.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the close call.
Southwest Airlines emphasized that “nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and employees.”This incident is the latest in a series of near-miss aviation events that have raised concerns about airport safety procedures across the country.
Flexjet released the following statement:
“We are aware of the occurrence today in Chicago. 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.”
Earlier this week, Delta Air Lines Flight 876, a Boeing 717-200, departed from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport en route to Columbia Metropolitan Airport in South Carolina. Shortly after takeoff, passengers and crew observed a haze filling the cabin, prompting the flight crew to declare an emergency and return to Atlanta.
The aircraft landed safely around 9 a.m., and all 94 passengers, along with two pilots and three flight attendants, evacuated using emergency slides. Two passengers received medical attention on-site and were released.
Passenger Kevin McKinney captured video footage showing the hazy cabin and the subsequent evacuation. In the video, passengers are seen covering their faces as they exit the aircraft onto the tarmac. Delta Air Lines issued a statement emphasizing that the flight crew followed procedures upon noticing the haze and apologized for the incident, reaffirming their commitment to passenger safety.
