A Delta Air Lines flight bound for the United States was forced to abort takeoff at the last moment after a near-collision incident with another aircraft at Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport earlier this week.
The harrowing event occurred on Monday and involved over 150 passengers aboard Delta Flight 590 headed for Atlanta.
According to flight tracking data from Flightradar24, the Delta plane had just begun accelerating down the runway when an AeroMéxico regional jet unexpectedly descended and landed in front of it, coming within 200 feet of the Delta aircraft — a dangerously close call that raised immediate safety concerns.
Reacting swiftly, the Delta pilots aborted takeoff, bringing the aircraft to a halt before it could reach liftoff speed. The plane returned to the terminal, and the flight was grounded for several hours as a precaution.
In a statement, Delta Airlines praised the professionalism and training of its flight crew:
“Delta will fully cooperate with authorities as the circumstances around this flight are investigated. We appreciate the flight crew’s actions to maintain situational awareness and act quickly — part of Delta’s extensive training.”
Neither AeroMéxico nor the Mexican civil aviation authority have issued public statements about the incident as of yet.
Following the near-miss, Delta Flight 590 was eventually cleared and successfully departed several hours later without further incident.
The event adds to growing global concerns about air traffic safety, particularly at busy international airports where runway incursions and airspace miscommunication remain critical risks. Investigations are expected to focus on air traffic control procedures and possible coordination lapses between the two flights.