As a personal injury lawyer in Chicago, I am thankful that the air traffic controller acted quickly in this near miss in Boston, but hopeful that similar close calls will be avoided in the future.
Thankfully, a “quick-thinking air traffic controller at Boston's Logan International Airport urgently told a JetBlue flight to “hold” just before it entered a runway where another plane was about to take off.” (Boston AP, 12/7).
The Jet Blue flight arising from Austin, Texas landed safely, but came face to face with danger when the pilot accidentally took a right instead of a left. The mistaken turn nearly cause it to pull out in front of a plane going full speed to take off. Ground radar images show that the close call was nearly a tragedy.
While the air traffic controller is, and should be, praised, airport safety must be taken seriously, and we must avoid such close calls in the future.