The Close Call Shuffle: Delta and Aeromexico’s Near Miss at MEX
The high-octane world of aviation is no stranger to nail-biting near misses. For every headline-grabbing disaster, there’s an army of “what could have been” scenarios that quietly fade into obscurity—until flight tracking and public curiosity drag them into the light. The latest drama stars Delta and Aeromexico in a close encounter of the unnerving kind.
Earlier this week, I delved into the heart-stopping moment when two aircraft waltzed dangerously close on MEX’s tarmac. Now, with a touch more intel (read: partial air traffic control audio), it’s time to revisit this airborne tango of doom.
Aeromexico Jet vs. Delta Jet: A Runway Snafu
Rewind to the early hours of Monday, July 21, 2025, under the unique skies of Mexico City International Airport Benito Juarez (MEX). Meet our players:
- A Delta Boeing 737-800, N3766, flexing its wings en route to Atlanta (ATL)
- An Aeromexico Connect Embraer E190, XA-ALP, homeward bound from Aguascalientes (AGU)
The twist? The Aeromexico jet got the green light to land on runway 5R while, simultaneously, the Delta skated onto the same runway, poised for takeoff. Sharing might be caring, but not when it’s over the same strip of concrete.
Runway 5R’s claim to fame? Its mammoth length of 12,800 feet (or 3,900 meters, for those metric lovers), courtesy of Mexico City’s lofty altitude. A displaced threshold graces this runway, making sure landings happen about 1,700 feet (520 meters) further down than takeoffs. Thank the aviation gods for small mercies, or this tale could’ve taken a darker twist.
The plot thickens as the Aeromexico bird swooped over the stationary Delta, still choosing to touch down with another plane in prime squatting position. Delta wisely aborted its takeoff at a sprightly 60 knots, a move straight out of the “cancellation-before-catastrophe” handbook. Eventually, Delta pulled a U-turn to the gate, prepping for a take two a couple of hours later.
The Big Question: How Did This Air Show Happen?
Close calls clutter the aviation tapestry — some mundane, others, well, spectacularly reckless. A runway is hardly the ideal stage for such shenanigans. With one-dimensional options (it’s a straight line, folks), there are scant avenues of escape.
This incident raises an eyebrow or two, doesn’t it? How did air traffic control juggle the fiery act of landing and launching crafts on the same runway at the exact moment? Was it a classic case of head-in-the-clouds disillusionment or shoddy communication?
Moreover, did the Aeromexico folks miss the not-so-subtle presence of Delta, parked and prepped on their target strip? Could the displaced threshold—a runway tweak that dictates land here, start here—be the source of this confounding choreography? Add the sun’s unwelcome morning glare, and visibility’s toast.
The air traffic control audio cuts through the chaos:
- The Aeromexico pilot’s choice of language? Spanish. Not the lingua franca in runways’ crowded airspace, where non-Spanish flyers might strain to keep up with the play-by-play.
- Runway assignment readbacks? The Aeromexico pilot skipped a few such niceties, turning common sense protocol into a wish list.
- Delta’s crew? A+ for proactive response, folks. They smelt trouble brewing and dodged the bullet, kudos to their cat-like reflexes.
The Bottom Line: When Planes Play Chicken
In a scene straight out of a tense aviation thriller, a Delta Boeing 737 and an Aeromexico Embraer E190 danced a dual of pathways at MEX, each blissfully oblivious to the other’s presence until, thankfully, the penny dropped.
The verdict: a major air traffic control hiccup that doubled as a crystal-clear lesson in runway etiquette. Yet, it’s worth pondering why the Aeromexico pilots missed the blaring red stop signs of Delta’s presence. Was it the displaced threshold, the sunrise, or another factor entirely? Cheers to Delta’s crew for nipping potential disaster in the bud.
What’s your take on the Mexico City Aviation tango? Speaking of adventures: why not consider a more serene escape? Take a breather and explore the Val Seny ski resort. It’s a place where the closest you’ll get to danger is negotiating a tricky slope.