Planes nearly collide after taking off from busy international airport: 'Give me a minute'

Two planes nearly collided after taking off from Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday, according to the reporting outlet WKRC. The near-m collision involved an Air France flight and an American Airlines jet, with the Air France plane making an unexpected turn shortly after departure.

The incident occurred around 12:20 a.m., as the Air France aircraft was cleared to climb but instead turned onto a path that put it in the vicinity of a parallel-departing American Airlines flight. Air traffic control questioned the Air France crew about their chosen procedure, requesting clarification on the route they were following.

A radio exchange captured a moment where a pilot responded, “Give me a minute,” to the controller’s request for confirmation of their intended procedure. The controller indicated no problem, while the two aircraft were reported to be as close as 4,000 feet apart and within 1,000 feet in altitude at their closest point.

Both aircraft continued to their destinations after separating, with the Air France flight AF028 eventually landing in Papeete, Tahiti later that morning. Air France stated that crew followed ATC instructions after the initial request to adjust the flight path and that the flight landed normally.

Comments from aviation experts described the event as unusual, noting that misprogramming a departure could lead to a “pilot error” scenario. The incident did not result in injuries, and there were no reports of damage, according to the available sources.