Incident at Mexico City: Delta A320 Aborts Takeoff as Aeroméxico E190 Lands on the Same Runway
AFAC investigators are analyzing communications and data from an event that once again exposed the stress on air traffic control in Mexico.
Mexico's Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) is investigating a serious incident that occurred at Mexico City International Airport (AICM) on the morning of July 21, when a Delta Air Lines aircraft was forced to execute a rejected takeoff upon detecting an Aeroméxico Connect aircraft landing on the same runway.
The event involved Delta flight DL590, an Airbus A320 that was beginning its takeoff roll on runway 05R bound for Atlanta (ATL), and Aeroméxico Connect flight AM1631, an Embraer E190, which was on its final approach.
Communications between the Delta flight deck and the control tower captured the U.S. crew's shock. "Wow," the pilot is heard exclaiming, followed by "increíble" (incredible) in Spanish, highlighting the proximity of the conflict.
Delta Air Lines confirmed the event in a statement, informing that it is cooperating with authorities in the investigation and adding that "we appreciate the crew's actions to maintain situational awareness and act quickly, as a result of the extensive training Delta provides."
Key Incident Information
What happened: A runway incursion and near-collision.
Aircraft: A departing Delta (Airbus A320) and a landing Aeroméxico Connect (Embraer E190).
Location: Runway 05R at Mexico City International Airport (AICM).
Evasive Action: The Delta flight performed a high-speed rejected takeoff. The Aeroméxico aircraft landed, overflying the Delta jet.
Preliminary Cause: Air traffic control error in clearing two incompatible operations on the same runway.
Sources with knowledge of the operation, cited by media outlets like El Financiero, described the event as "more serious than the Volaris incident" of May 2022, given that on this occasion, the Aeroméxico aircraft completed its landing while the Delta jet was on the runway. In the 2022 incident, the approaching aircraft performed a go-around.
The event occurred under complex operational circumstances. Minutes prior, the parallel runway 05L was temporarily closed due to a bird strike involving an Avianca aircraft. This concentrated all traffic onto runway 05R, likely increasing the workload for the personnel of Mexican Air Navigation Services (SENEAM).
This incident again places a spotlight on the working conditions of air traffic controllers in Mexico. In a December 2024 letter, the controllers' union held the Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transport (SICT) responsible for any consequences arising from the failure to address the shortage of trained technical personnel and overwork—issues that industry sources say persist.
As of the writing of this article, neither AICM nor SENEAM have issued public comments on the incident.
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