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‘Get off iPad!’ ATC scolds Spirit Airlines pilots for close call with Air Force One carrying Trump
The New York-based controller repeatedly tried to alert the Spirit pilots to change their course, scolding them to “pay attention" and "get off the iPad”.
A passenger aircraft of Spirit Airlines Inc came alarmingly close to the Air Force One, flying US President Donald Trump to UK's London, over New York's congested skies on Tuesday, sparking repeated alerts by the air traffic controller to the commercial flight to change its course.
The air traffic controller (ATC) noticed the similar altitudes and converging flight paths of Air Force One and Spirit Flight 1300 – an Airbus SE A321 – when both were heading over Long Island, according to a Bloomberg report.
The New York-based controller repeatedly tried to alert the Spirit pilots to change their course, scolding them to “pay attention" and "get off the iPad”.
Spirit Airlines Inc. passenger jet was flying from Fort Lauderdale to Boston.
‘Pay attention! Get off the iPad!’
While both the aircraft never exceeded the safety thresholds, the incident has hit headlines not just because it involved the presidential jet – a Boeing Co. 747 jumbo – but because the ATC's tetchy radio message to the Spirit plane went viral on social media.
“Pay attention, Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right. Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right now. Spirit wings turn 20 degrees right immediately,” the ATC told the passenger jet, as heard in the audio clips shared by US broadcasters of the exchange between the plane and the controller.
“Pay attention! Spirit 1300 traffic's off your left wing by 6 miles... 8 miles 747”
“I'm sure you can see who it is at flight level 320, maintain 330. Keep an eye out for him, he's white and blue," the controller said, referring to the dusty blue Air Force One aircraft.
"Pay attention! get off the iPad!” the ATC further told the Spirit aircraft, in a reprimanding tone.
The encounter with the Spirit jet was first posted by the @JonNYC account and the audio was shared by @thenewarea51 on X.
US President Donald Trump landed in London late Tuesday for a state visit that includes a meeting with King Charles at Windsor Castle and expected plans by US companies to spend tens of billions of dollars on technology infrastructure in the UK.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was aware of social media posts made about the incident and said there were no safety concerns. “Required separation was maintained between the aircraft,” the Bloomberg report qoted the US aviation regulator as saying in an emailed statement.
Spirit Airlines said the flight followed procedures and air traffic control instructions and landed safely in Boston. “Safety is always our top priority,” the airline said via email.
