U.S. Military Plane and JetBlue Flight Nearly Collided Over Caribbean, Radio Traffic Shows

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Riley MellenDecember 15, 2025 at 01:40 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

On Friday, a JetBlue flight nearly collided with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker over the Caribbean. The JetBlue pilot reported the incident, stating the military aircraft's transponder was off, preventing air traffic control from detecting it. The JetBlue flight, en route from Curaçao to New York, had to abruptly halt its ascent to avoid the tanker. Air traffic control confirmed they also couldn't see the military plane on radar, noting a recent increase in unidentified aircraft in the airspace. The following day, controllers alerted other pilots from American Airlines and Delta about similar unidentified aircraft in the area, raising concerns about potential safety risks. The incidents occurred in late November and mid-December 2025.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

United States ×260% U.S. Air Force 70% JetBlue ×280%

Keywords

near midair collision 90% air traffic control 80% transponder 70% refueling tanker 70% unidentified aircraft 70% jetblue 60% caribbean 60% u.s. air force 50% airspace 40%