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By Mandy Taheri
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A potential aviation disaster was avoided over Phoenix on Friday after two American Airlines jets assigned the same flight number were in the same airspace, prompting an air traffic controller to quickly distinguish the two and maintain safe separation.
Audio from air traffic control communications shows that both aircraft were using the call sign American 2482, with one flight descending into Phoenix from Chicago as another departed the airport towards Chicago.
“It could have been disastrous, but I’m glad it worked out,” the air traffic controller can be heard saying on the audio.
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The controller identified the duplicate call signs and issued instructions that distinguished the arriving and departing aircraft, allowing both flights to continue on their respective paths.
The incident comes amid heightened public attention on aviation safety following several air travel incidents and near misses.
An American Airlines spokesperson told Newsweek on Saturday that the company is reviewing details related to the incident, adding, "The diligence and professionalism of air traffic controllers and our pilots ensured required separation was always maintained and the issue was identified and addressed. Both flights continued safely and without incident."
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What to Know
An American Airlines spokesperson and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Newsweek on Saturday that the situation transpired around 12 a.m. local time on August 14.
The air traffic controller quickly reacted and began referring to the two planes with their signs and if they were on departure or arrival, American 2482 “departure” and American 2482 “arrival." The controller helped keep the two planes separate and clearly identified which he was speaking to so that they could hear their commands properly. He also directed the departing plane to not climb too high so that there would be a large gap between the two planes as a precaution.
After the planes safely cleared each other, the controller said, according to the audio recordings, “I’ve been working air traffic for 25 years. I’ve never seen two aircraft pretty much merge with the same call sign. That’s pretty incredible.”
Flight 2482 typically operates as a round-trip route between Chicago and Phoenix, using the same flight number both ways, according to American Airlines. After the Chicago-to-Phoenix flight was delayed, a second aircraft was assigned to depart Phoenix as Flight 2482. Typically, a single aircraft operates the round-trip route, but delays to the inbound flight led the airline to use another aircraft for the scheduled departure.
"American Airlines Flight 2482 was descending for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport when another American Airlines flight departed using the same flight number," the FAA told Newsweek in a Saturday statement. "Air traffic control recognized the identical call signs and made sure the aircraft maintained the required separation."
The FAA and American Airlines are investigating how the call sign was doubly assigned.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has three runways and handles more than 1,000 flights daily.
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What Are Call Signs?
Call signs are the identifiers used by pilots and air traffic controllers during radio communications, often based off the airline and flight number. They allow controllers to track individual aircraft and ensure instructions are directed to the correct flight, while helping pilots distinguish which communications apply to them when multiple aircraft are operating in the same airspace.
Safety experts say duplicate call signs can create confusion if flight crews are uncertain which aircraft a controller is addressing, which could potentially lead pilots to adhere to the wrong instructions. Airlines generally avoid duplicate call signs.
Air Safety
Friday's situation comes amid heightened scrutiny of aviation safety following a series of runway incursions, near misses and other operational incidents that have prompted federal investigations and renewed attention on the nation's air traffic control system.
In June, the FAA said it was investigating a near miss at Boston Logan International Airport after a Delta Air Lines flight executed a go-around to avoid an American Airlines aircraft departing from an intersecting runway. Aviation experts later estimated the aircraft came within roughly 300 feet of one another.
Two months earlier, another near collision involving two aircraft at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport prompted a federal investigation and renewed concerns about runway safety.
Aviation experts note that commercial air travel remains among the safest forms of transportation.
In May, the FAA announced a multiyear initiative to expand the nation's air traffic controller workforce and address persistent staffing shortages. Officials have said the effort will take time, however, because controller training and certification can take several years.
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Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.
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