A Southwest Airlines flight attempting to land at Chicago’s Midway Airport had to ascend suddenly to avoid a business jet crossing the runway. Airport webcam footage showed the Southwest plane approaching before its abrupt ascent. The airline confirmed the crew executed a precautionary go-around to avoid conflict, landing safely afterward. Audio recordings revealed the smaller jet’s pilot misstated instructions, despite being told to “hold short” of the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the business jet entered the runway without authorization. Flexjet, the jet’s owner, stated they are investigating the incident and committed to maintaining high safety standards. Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. Former NTSB member Jeff Guzzetti described the event as a serious runway incursion but noted that such incidents were at a decade-low in 2024. Factors contributing to these incidents may include crew distraction or controller workload. Former NTSB member John Goglia remarked that the system functioned as designed since the Southwest pilot recognized the potential conflict. Recent weeks have seen multiple aviation incidents, including a commuter plane crash in Alaska, a midair collision in Washington, and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia. — news from The Associated Press
