Overview

• New York Center directed Spirit Airlines Flight 1300 to turn 20 degrees right on Sept. 16 when its route and altitude aligned with Air Force One over Long Island.
• An air traffic controller repeatedly rebuked the Spirit crew in recordings shared on monitoring sites, saying “Pay attention” and “Get off the iPad.”
• Flight-tracking data showed both aircraft near 32,000 feet and roughly 8–11 miles apart laterally at their closest as the paths converged.
• Spirit said the flight followed air traffic control instructions and landed uneventfully in Boston, and Air Force One continued to London without incident.
• The FAA acknowledged social media posts about the encounter, said required separation was maintained, and indicated the interaction is under review, while some outlets noted they could not independently verify the original ATC audio.