Yesterday, an incident at Orlando International Airport showed how thin the line between routine operations and potential disaster can be. A Southwest Airlines flight, designated Flight 3278, nearly took off from a taxiway—a grave mistake averted only by the actions of an alert air traffic controller. This potentially dangerous error occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time, and, as reported by FOX 35 Orlando, the flight was headed to Albany, New York.

According to WFTV, retired airline and fighter pilot Richard Owen explained the differences between a taxiway and a runway. While both are paved stretches at an airport, a runway is designated for the high-speed needs of takeoffs and landings and features powerful lighting clearly marked with directional numbers. To avert a disaster, the air traffic controller canceled the takeoff clearance when the aircraft mistook the taxiway for the runway.

Southwest Airlines released a statement following the incident, ensuring that "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees." After aborting takeoff, the airliner stressed that the passengers aboard Flight 3278 were escorted off the plane and accommodated on another aircraft to their destination. As noticed by NBC Los Angeles, the airline is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board to understand the circumstances that led to the error.

The FAA is actively investigating this incident, which could have led to the aircraft colliding with other planes, vehicles, or structures had the takeoff continued. The error is particularly concerning given the many close calls and tragic accidents in aviation history stemming from similar mistakes.