Near Miss Incident Involving Air Canada Jet at JFK International Airport

On Monday, the U. S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported a near miss incident involving an Air Canada jet at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. According to the FAA, the pilots of a Republic Airways flight had to take evasive action after the Air Canada plane missed its intended approach and flew too close to their aircraft. The Air Canada Express flight, which was coming from Toronto, had been cleared to land on a parallel runway.

In an email statement, Air Canada Express confirmed that their flight crew received a traffic warning notification and immediate directions from air traffic controllers, which they promptly followed. They also emphasized that safety is their top priority and their crews are well-trained to handle operational situations like this.

The FAA revealed that the Republic Airways flight also received an onboard alert. However, the investigation is still ongoing and the information provided is preliminary. This incident occurred just a month after two Canadian pilots were killed in a collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The pilots were identified as Antoine Forest and Mackenzie Gunther. The U. S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are both investigating the fatal collision.

These incidents have highlighted the mounting pressures on air traffic controllers in the United States. The industry has been struggling with a shortage of controllers, which was further exacerbated during recent government shutdowns that forced employees to work without pay.

In a separate close call incident on Saturday, two Southwest Airlines planes had to take evasive action in Tennessee after an air traffic controller directed one pilot to turn into the path of the other plane. The FAA has not yet released further details about this incident.

The original article was first published by The Canadian Press on April 22, 2026. However, these incidents have brought attention to the increasing pressures and challenges faced by air traffic controllers in the United States. The shortage of controllers has been a long-standing issue in the industry and has only worsened in recent years. The FAA and other agencies are working to address this issue and ensure the safety of all air travel.