There are 10,000+ air visitors controllers in the US, who’ve extremely traumatic jobs that maintain our skies protected. Amongst these air visitors controllers, there’s one man at New York Kennedy Airport who has made a reputation — or maybe extra precisely, a voice — for himself based mostly on his perspective. Right here’s the most recent instance of him exercising his authority to show a pilot a lesson.
LOT Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilot taught lesson by ATC
This incident occurred at round 11PM on November 18, 2025, and entails LOT Polish Airways flight LO27, which was working from New York (JFK) to Warsaw (WAW).
Because the airplane is taxiing out, earlier than it reaches the runway, the LOT pilot tells the air visitors controller that they want two minutes. A minute later, the controller offers the LOT airplane takeoff clearance. The LOT pilot responds that they want yet another minute for cabin preparations.
Now, it’s value acknowledging that pilots must be able to go once they get to the runway, to keep away from delaying different planes. Nevertheless it’s additionally value mentioning that this seemingly occurred as a consequence of one thing outdoors of the management of the pilots, like a passenger getting up or making an attempt to make use of the rest room because the airplane was about to depart. Moreover, at 11PM, it was removed from rush hour on the airport, so it’s not like there was a queue of 20 planes.
So the air visitors controller offers the LOT airplane clearance to enter the runway, after which to exit it a few taxiways down, and get again into the takeoff queue. Now, the LOT pilot simply reads again the “enter 31L” portion of the directions, so the air visitors controller responds by as soon as once more emphasizing the taxiway directions.
The LOT pilot responds by saying that they’re now able to go. Needless to say the airplane isn’t even on the runway but, and isn’t delaying every other airplane. Nevertheless, clearly the controller wished to emphasise that his directions have been “ultimate,” and that nobody would query them.
So the air visitors controller responds “no, no, no, we’re not doing this,” and he as soon as once more emphasizes that they’ll must taxi off the runway. This finally creates a sequence of occasions that solely add to congestion, and make issues unnecessarily sophisticated. The LOT pilot needed to be handed over to the bottom controller, solely to then a minute later be handed again to the tower controller.
This air visitors controller likes to show a degree!
As I stated above, air visitors controllers have actually traumatic jobs, and I respect what they do. Nevertheless, I really feel like their jobs are troublesome sufficient, with out this man artificially making them harder.
Right here’s the factor — the controller was proper to instruct the pilots to taxi round in the event that they weren’t prepared for takeoff. Nevertheless, as soon as they stated they have been prepared for takeoff, earlier than even getting into the runway, the air visitors controller might’ve simply put his pleasure and ego to the aspect, and given them takeoff clearance.
There’s merely no denying that the controller made the state of affairs extra sophisticated, reasonably than simpler. And we now have no motive to imagine that the LOT crew was by some means deliberately not making ready the cabin for takeoff, reasonably than one thing arising on the final minute.
Simply distinction this controller’s perspective to the Newark (EWR) controller within the beneath interplay, the place an Air Premia Boeing 787 made a incorrect flip, and missed the runway. The controller politely tells them what they did, and offers them clear directions, with out making a giant deal of it. He even says “I’ll put the lights up, good and brilliant for you.”
It’s hilarious, as a result of the Air Premia pilot straight asks the controller in the event that they should be given a telephone quantity for a pilot deviation, and the controller responds “no, that’s high-quality, it’s a mistake, that occurs, it’s not a giant deal, you didn’t do it on objective.” If this had occurred at JFK with that different controller, he would’ve blown a gasket.
Backside line
Everybody’s favourite air visitors controller at New York Kennedy Airport was excited to have the chance to show pilots a lesson, after they weren’t fairly able to go once they bought to the runway. The controller was proper to ask them to taxi off the runway. Nevertheless, once they stated they have been able to go earlier than even getting into the runway, he might’ve simply given them takeoff clearance. However as an alternative he wished to show a degree, and make everybody’s life extra sophisticated…
What do you make of this JFK ATC interplay?
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