Passengers on Southwest Flight 1496, traveling from Burbank, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, faced a terrifying moment shortly after takeoff when the plane had to maneuver sharply to avoid a potential collision.
This sudden maneuver caused some passengers to be tossed from their seats, resulting in screams from both children and adults, as fears heightened in the cabin.
Two flight attendants sustained injuries, according to a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines.
Caitlin Burdi, a passenger on the flight, recounted her experience, noting that she had previously flown the same route and recognized that such turbulence was unusual.
“About ten minutes into the flight, we dropped significantly,” she said. “It felt like we fell 20 to 30 feet within seconds. The screams were terrifying.”
After taking off around 11 am local time, the crew was alerted twice to potential traffic issues, prompting them to adjust the aircraft’s altitude.
Southwest Airlines acknowledged that the flight landed “unevenly” after the incident.
In a statement, the airline mentioned they were cooperating with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to investigate the event. They also expressed gratitude for the flight crew’s professionalism and emphasized their commitment to safety.
The FAA confirmed that another aircraft was operating in the same airspace managed by Los Angeles Air Traffic Control.
Passengers reported that one flight attendant hit his head during the event and was visibly shaken. Another attendant informed passengers he might have to leave his position.
Following the unsettling drop, the pilot addressed passengers over the intercom, explaining that they had almost collided with another plane and had lost contact with air traffic control.
Burdi described the experience as “absolutely horrifying,” recalling the pilot’s remarks.
Some passengers shared their stories on social media, with comedian Jimmy Door commenting on the chaos: “A lot of us were thrown from our seats and hit our heads on the ceiling. One flight attendant could need a doctor. The pilot mentioned a collision alert that prompted our evasive actions. Incredible.”
The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.
