Latest news with #SouthwestAirline


Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Toronto Star
Shocking plunge by Southwest flight from Southern California was to avoid another aircraft
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Passengers aboard a Southwest Airline jet that took a dramatic plunge to avoid an oncoming aircraft were told by the pilot that they nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The Boeing 737 jet dropped hundreds of feet in a little over 30 seconds during a flight on Friday, according to a flight tracking website.


Toronto Star
4 days ago
- Toronto Star
Shocking plunge by Southwest flight departing L.A. was to avoid another aircraft
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Passengers aboard a Southwest Airline jet that took a dramatic plunge to avoid an oncoming aircraft were told by the pilot that they nearly struck another plane before landing safely in Las Vegas. The Boeing 737 jet dropped hundreds of feet in a little over 30 seconds during a flight on Friday, according to a flight tracking website.


Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Southwest Airlines flight headed to Las Vegas takes dramatic plunge in response to nearby aircraft
LAS VEGAS — A Southwest Airline jet heading to Las Vegas from Southern California took a dramatic plunge shortly after takeoff Friday in response to an alert about a nearby plane, sending some passengers flying out of their seats and injuring two flight attendants. The plane suddenly jolted shortly after takeover then felt like it was falling, said Stef Zamorano, who was flying to Las Vegas with her husband to celebrate his birthday. In front of her, Zamorano saw a woman who wasn't wearing her seat belt shoot up and out of her seat, her long hair flying in a tangled mess. The man seated next to her was clutching her arm, and she said the woman across the aisle was panicking. 'She was pretty much verbalizing how we all felt, saying, 'I want to get off this plane. I want to be on the ground,' ' Zamorano told The Associated Press. Data from the flight tracking site FlightAware shows it dropped roughly 300 feet in 36 seconds. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight, Southwest 1496, was responding to an onboard alert about another aircraft in its vicinity. The FAA is investigating. Southwest said the crew responded to two alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend. The flight departed from Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon. Still in shock, Zamorano said she could hardly make out what the pilot was saying when he later addressed the passengers. Another passenger, comedian Jimmy Dore, posted on X that the pilot mentioned a near miss. 'Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us,' Dore posted. The plane was in the same airspace near Burbank as a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 just after noon local time, FlightAware shows. A Hawker Hunter is a British fighter plane. Records show it is owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation, a British defense contracting company. The company didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Mike Christensen, an airport spokesman for Hollywood Burbank, said that neither the control tower nor the operations department, which tracks planes departing and arriving, have any record of the Southwest flight plunging in their airspace. Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas, 'where it landed uneventfully.' The airline said that it is working with the FAA 'to further understand the circumstances' of the event. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.


Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Southwest Airlines flight headed to Las Vegas takes dramatic plunge in response to nearby aircraft
A Southwest Airline jet heading to Las Vegas from Southern California took a dramatic plunge shortly after takeoff Friday in response to an alert about a nearby plane, injuring two flight attendants, authorities and passengers said. Southwest flight 1496 was responding to an onboard alert about another aircraft in its vicinity, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The FAA is investigating. The crew responded to two air alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend, Southwest said in a statement. The flight departed from Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon. Passengers posted on social media that the plane took a dramatic drop soon after takeoff. Data from the flight tracking site FlightAware shows it dropped roughly 300 feet (91.44 meters) in 36 seconds. 'Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us,' comedian Jimmy Dore posted on X. The plane was in the same airspace near Burbank as a Hawker Hunter Mk. 58 just after noon local time, FlightAware shows. A Hawker Hunter is a British fighter plane. Records show its owned by Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd, a British defense contracting company. The company didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Mike Christensen, an airport spokesman for Hollywood Burbank, said that neither the control tower or the operations department, which tracks planes departing and arriving, have any record of the Southwest flight plunging in their airspace. Southwest said the flight continued to Las Vegas, 'where it landed uneventfully.' The airline said that it is working with the FAA 'to further understand the circumstances' of the event. This close call is just the latest incident to raise questions about aviation safety in the wake of January's midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people.


New Indian Express
4 days ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Southwest Airlines flight headed to Las Vegas takes dramatic plunge in response to nearby aircraft
LAS VEGAS: A Southwest Airline jet heading to Las Vegas from Southern California took a dramatic plunge shortly after takeoff Friday in response to an alert about a nearby plane, sending some passengers flying out of their seats and injuring two flight attendants. The plane suddenly jolted shortly after takeover then felt like it was falling, said Stef Zamorano, who was flying to Las Vegas with her husband to celebrate his birthday. In front of her, Zamorano saw a woman who wasn't wearing her seat belt shoot up and out of her seat, her long hair flying in a tangled mess. The man seated next to her was clutching her arm, and she said the woman across the aisle was panicking. "She was pretty much verbalizing how we all felt, saying, 'I want to get off this plane. I want to be on the ground,' " Zamorano told The Associated Press. Data from the flight tracking site FlightAware shows it dropped roughly 300 feet (91.44 meters) in 36 seconds. The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight, Southwest 1496, was responding to an onboard alert about another aircraft in its vicinity. The FAA is investigating. Southwest said the crew responded to two alerts that required the pilot to climb then descend. The flight departed from Hollywood Burbank Airport just before noon.