Overview

• The exchange occurred Sept. 16 over Long Island as Spirit Airlines flight 1300 from Fort Lauderdale to Boston flew parallel to the presidential 747 bound for London.
• A New York center controller repeatedly directed a 20‑degree right turn, referenced the nearby "747" that is "white and blue," and admonished the crew to "leave the iPad."
• Flight-tracking data indicated a minimum separation of about eight nautical miles, or roughly 13 kilometers, between the two aircraft.
• The FAA said the required separation was maintained and reported no safety breach, and the Spirit flight landed in Boston without incident.
• Spirit stated the crew followed air traffic control instructions and emphasized safety as its top priority, while the pilot’s responses are not audible on the released audio.