The flight attendant’s mistake could lead to disaster

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The air traffic controller accidentally asked the plane from the USA to land on 09R. The United Airlines crew tried to confirm the change of runway, saying “understood” and “sidetrack for 9 right”, instead of left.

The report shows that the air traffic controller did not check the response and asked the EasyJet aircraft to prepare for take-off from the same runway.

Dangerously close

After noticing that the United Airlines plane appeared to be heading towards them, the EasyJet crew alerted the control tower. The air traffic controller and the EasyJet crew were then warned by the United Airlines plane not to land.

It was less than 90 meters between them when the planes passed each other, the report states.

The air traffic controller later told investigators that she was confused after another plane had asked to land on the 09R runway. She also said she had been switching computer screens and could not see the two runways because she turned away.

Special reason

The report also shows that the crew of United Airlines did not use the correct terminology when they had to confirm the runway. But there is another point in the report that attracts the most attention.

BEA also says that the corona pandemic may be partly to blame, because the significant drop in air traffic in the last 18 months meant that the air traffic controller was out of training.

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