Chilling audio has surfaced capturing the moment air traffic controllers shouted urgent commands at a Spirit Airlines pilot after the aircraft flew alarmingly close to Air Force One.
The incident occurred earlier this week as Spirit Airlines Flight 1300 traveled from Florida to Massachusetts. At the same time, US President Donald Trump and the First Lady were aboard Air Force One en route to the UK for a state visit.
Controllers monitoring New York airspace noticed the Spirit Airbus A321 flying nearly parallel to Air Force One at a distance of just eight miles. Although the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later emphasized that the minimum separation standards had not been violated, the proximity was unsettling enough to trigger concern.
Recordings released by the LiveATC service reveal the urgency in the controllers’ voices as they issued repeated instructions.
🚨 WOW! Air Traffic Control had to SCREAM at a Spirit Airlines flight who was getting too close to Air Force One
“Spirit 1300 turn 20 degrees right IMMEDIATELY! … Pay attention! Get off the iPad!”
You couldn’t PAY me to fly on Spirit at this point.
pic.twitter.com/BUA8d7yWSY— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 17, 2025
One voice can be heard shouting: “Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right. Pay attention, Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right. Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right, now. Spirit Wings 1300, turn 20 degrees right, immediately.”
Another controller followed with a sharp warning: “Pay attention. Spirit 1300, traffic off your left wing by six miles—uh, eight miles—747. I’m sure you can see who it is…
“Keep an eye out for him — he’s white and blue.”
Then came the line that has since gone viral: “Pay attention. Get off the iPad.”
Though it sounds like a scene from a movie, the exchange was very real. The Spirit pilots can be faintly heard acknowledging the instructions, though static makes their full responses difficult to decipher.
Fortunately, the situation did not escalate. Spirit later confirmed the aircraft landed safely in Boston as scheduled.
A spokesperson for the airline stated: “Spirit Airlines Flight 1300 followed procedures and Air Traffic Control instructions and landed uneventfully at BOS. Safety is always our top priority.”
The FAA also confirmed its preliminary review showed that the flight maintained the required separation, despite the tense exchange over the radio.
Still, the recording has sparked widespread debate online about cockpit distractions, especially after the unusual admonition to “get off the iPad.” Whether literal or figurative, the remark highlighted just how frustrated the controllers seemed as they worked to ensure the president’s plane remained protected.
President Trump and Melania Trump arrived in the UK on schedule, receiving the usual high-profile welcome. But for those who have heard the ATC recording, the thought of a budget airline flying so close to the world’s most recognizable aircraft is enough to make anyone’s palms sweat.
Source: unilad.com