[www.inewsguyana.com] – Caribbean Airlines says it is committed to the safety and security of all passengers and is “concerned” to hear of an “alleged incident highlighted on internet news sites” regarding JetBlue 1295, and BW flight 526 on Saturday night (January 17) at JFK airport, New York.
A statement from the airline note, “Caribbean Airlines takes allegations of this type very seriously, and is committed to working with the industry authorities to investigate all the facts. We are in the process of investigating and compiling the facts surrounding this allegation in cooperation with all Regulator agencies.”
The statement further noted that in the interim, Caribbean Airlines is complying with all incident management procedures included within its Safety Management System and adjunct regulations.
Reports indicate that a JetBlue passenger jet was forced to abort its take-off when another plane filled with holidaymakers suddenly crossed the runway.
After being given clearance to depart, JetBlue flight 1295 was rolling down the tarmac at full speed at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport when a Caribbean Airlines plane crossed into its path without authorisation, said officials.
The JetBlue captain hit the brakes to avoid a collision with the Caribbean Airlines Boeing 737 which had just landed from Cheddi Jagan International Airport in Guyana on Saturday night.
The Caribbean Airlines flight crew did not answer air traffic controllers because they were on the wrong frequency and never heard tower instructions to stop, WABC-TV reported.
Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen told Newsday that air traffic controllers immediately ordered the JetBlue crew to cancel its take-off and stop.
She said: ‘The closest proximity of the two aircraft was more than 2,800 feet.’
The Jet Blue plane, an Airbus A320, returned to the gate at about 10:30pm and took off for Austin, Texas, three hours late.
