Airport tragedies caused by plane collisions are uncommon, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accounts for the number of “hot spots” across the United States where there are risks.
According to the FAA, an “airport surface hot spot” is a location “on an aerodrome movement area with a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion.” An aerodrome movement area is a place where aircraft maneuver and operate, such as where takeoffs and landings occur. The FAA further explains that a hot spot “is a runway safety-related problem area [of] an airport that presents increased risk during surface operations.”
The organization documents over 150 hot spots at airports across the country, and many flight hubs have several risk zones. Those airports include some of the U.S.’s busiest, such as Chicago O’Hare (ORD), John F. Kennedy (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Denver (DEN), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL). Notable additional airports include Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Newark Liberty (EWR), Boston Logan (BOS), LaGuardia (LGA), Seattle-Tacoma (SEA), Miami (MIA), and Harry Reid (LAS). It’s worth noting that the FAA listed many other airports all over the country. California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, and Texas each had large numbers of hot spots reported across their noted airports.
What Else Is There To Know About The Over 150 Airports That The FAA Described As “Hot Spots?”
The FAA explains that hot spots are areas where pilots need to exert “heightened attention.” That is because hot spots are often at “complex or confusing” taxiway/runway intersections, which can result from “airport layout, traffic flow, airport markings, signage and lighting, situational awareness, and training.”
Details about U.S. airport hot spots shouldn’t necessarily flare up flight anxiety. The FAA’s information isn’t directly cause for concern for the everyday passenger. Experts still consider air travel the safest mode of transportation, and again, plane collisions are rare. Though “close calls” do occur, the FAA says “safety experts follow up on all events — even those in which no collision was imminent or even possible — and evaluate them for safety risks.”
