A Spirit Airlines flight received repeated warnings from air traffic controllers to 'pay attention' and 'turn away' after it came too close to Air Force One as President Donald Trump traveled to the United Kingdom for a state visit. The two aircraft were flying parallel over New York on Tuesday, about eight miles apart (roughly 12.8 kilometers), though officials said they never entered an unsafe distance. 'Pay attention. Get off the iPad,' one controller said, as the Spirit crew navigated their route and followed instructions from air traffic control.
Spirit Flight 1300 was operating from Florida to Massachusetts and landed in Boston uneventfully after following procedures and ATC instructions, the airline said. The incident occurred while President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were en route to the UK for the state visit, according to officials.
Audio of the exchange captured by BBC's LiveATC recordings includes controllers urgently directing Spirit 1300 to turn 20 degrees to the right and to stay alert as another aircraft, a large jet described by air traffic controllers, remained in the vicinity. The recording shows controllers saying, 'Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right' and, at one point, 'Pay attention. Spirit 1300 traffic off your left wing by six miles—or eight miles, 747. I'm sure you can see who it is. ... Keep an eye out for him — he's white and blue.' The BBC noted the exchange was audible but with static in places. The references to a white-and-blue aircraft alluded to Air Force One.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicate the two aircraft were eight miles apart at the peak of the parallel paths, on trajectories that could have brought them closer if one path shifted, with potential convergence described as about 11 miles apart in the distance. The FAA's preliminary assessment said the aircraft maintained the required separation.
In a statement, a Spirit spokesperson told CBS that the flight 'followed procedures and Air Traffic Control instructions' and landed uneventfully in Boston, with the airline adding that 'Safety is always our top priority.' Officials say the matter will be reviewed as part of routine safety checks.
Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday evening, kicking off a state visit that includes official ceremonies, meetings with the British government, and other engagements. The episode underscores the high level of security surrounding presidential travel and the ongoing need for precise airspace coordination when multiple aircraft are operating in the same airspace.
FAA officials stressed that, while the incident drew public attention, there was no indication of an unsafe separation and that air traffic controllers acted swiftly to maintain safe distances. The agency said the preliminary findings indicate the separation was preserved and that the incident remains under review as part of routine safety oversight.