Tempers flared at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) this weekend, with an American Airlines pilot and an air traffic controller coming to blows on frequency regarding takeoff separation. The American Airlines flight to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), which was operated by an Airbus A319-100, was set to depart after a Boeing 757, but its pilots requested more time before starting.

While the air traffic controller did oblige, they later chastised the American Airlines pilot about the relatively late nature of the request. Takeoff separation is an important safety aspect of modern airline operations, particularly at a large hub like Atlanta where aircraft of various different sizes take off after one another in quick succession. In any case, the incident did not appeat to delay the flight too badly.

An Argument With Air Traffic Control

Credit: Flightradar24

According to reporting on the matter by View From The Wing, the American Airlines flight in question was AA1428, which was set to leave Atlanta at 7:35 AM local time on Sunday, September 13. As detailed in the video below, the A319 lined up on the runway for takeoff and was given clearance to do so, only for its pilot to request a longer wait, saying that “we need a little bit more time for that separation.”

The reason for this was that the aircraft that took off in front of them was a larger Boeing 757, leading to concerns about wake turbulence. However, as the A319 then had to exit and re-enter the runway due to canceling its takeoff clearance, ATC advised its crew that “next time you need more than standard separation, you need to notify us prior to taking the runway.” The pilot soon snapped back, advising ATC:

“We do not carry your separation manuals in our flight deck. You cleared us for takeoff behind a 757 with winds calm. (…) I don’t think that’s a proper separation for wake turbulence.”

Atlanta To Philadelphia Is A Busy Domestic Route

Credit: Chris Allan | Shutterstock

Fed up with ATC’s perhaps unnecessary dressing down, as well as their claim that “there is no wake turbulence separation,” the pilot said that the tower should just “let us fly the airplane,” adding that “you guys can do your job.” This led to ATC threatening to report the pilot, although, in any case, the incident did not delay the flight too badly, as, per Flightradar24, it touched down at PHL 14 minutes early.

As detailed in the table embedded above, the route between Atlanta and Philadelphia is one of the busiest domestic airline corridors in the east of the United States of America. According to present scheduling data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, it is being served 14 to 18 times a day in each direction this month, with ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines accounting for three daily trips.

Delta Air Lines, meanwhile, has long called Atlanta home, and the Georgia airport remains its most important hub. This is reflected by the fact that, on the route to Philadelphia alone, it will operate seven to nine flights a day in each direction this month. American Airlines, meanwhile, typically averages five or six daily rotations, with this route being served by both mainline flights and its regional feeder brand.

The Importance Of Sufficient Separation

Credit: Robin Guess | Shutterstock

In order to maintain proper separation between departing flights, aircraft are given various separation categories. According to View From The Wing, the Airbus A319 that was operating American Airlines flight AA1428 and the Boeing 757 that it was departing behind are only one category apart, being ranked respectively as F and E. However, even so, pilots can refuse to take off if they feel it is unsafe.

When the differences between two departing or arriving aircraft are greater, the consequences can be severe if separation rules are not applied correctly. For instance, in 1972, a Delta DC-9 crashed while landing at Greater Southwest International Airport (GSW) in Texas after encountering wake turbulence generated by a larger American DC-10. Per the Aviation Safety Network, all four crew on the jet died.