This Audio of Air Traffic Control Yelling at a Spirit Airlines Pilot 'Get Off the iPad' as it Flew Too Close to Air Force One Will Haunt Your Dreams

Mario Tama. Getty Images.

All air travel now is a dispiriting, disheartening slog that will make you question, not only weather the trip you're taking is worth the endless humiliations you must endure, but the humanity of everyone around you. If not make you wonder if you're living in a just and sane universe, or if we're all just a figment of imagination of a madman. 

Then, there's Spirit Airlines. Who operate on a whole other level of dehumanization that makes the other carriers seem like the Starship Enterprise by comparison. And whatever uphill climb Spirit's public relations team already faces just from the depressing travel experience of all its customers, it pales into comparison to the Control Tower audio of their latest incident:

NY Post -  Pilots of a Spirit jet were chewed out for flying too close to Air Force One — with President Trump on board — as the two planes flew over Long Island.

The crew flying Spirit Airlines Flight 1300, traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Boston, were scolded by an air traffic controller Tuesday after they tried warning them they were rapidly closing in on the president’s plane altitude and flight path as it was en route to the United Kingdom, Bloomberg reported.

The bizarre back-and-forth exchange was captured in an audio clip first shared on Bluesky by @JonNYC, according to the outlet. …

“Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right,” the air traffic controller said, according to recordings from liveatc.net.

“Pay attention, Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right. Spirit 1300, turn 20 degrees right, now. Spirit wings 1300, turn 20 degrees right, immediately.” …

[T] he air traffic controller reprimanded them again to “pay attention” to whom they were getting close to.

“Spirit 1300, traffic off your left wing by six mi– or eight miles, 747. I’m sure you can see who it is. Keep an eye out for him — he’s white and blue,” the controller said.

Audibly frustrated, the controller delivered one final tongue-lashing: “Pay attention! Get off the iPad.”

By my count, that's five time - FIVE - ATC had to tell Spirit 1300 to turn 20 degrees to the right. And after the fifth time, added, "I gotta talk to you twice every time."

Again, this is a passenger jet in 2025. I have a car that sends out an alert like an air raid siren if I'm approaching the $10,000 Mini Cooper in front of me at a rate of speed the front sensors aren't comfortable with. These pilots were essentially asleep at the switch while on approach to the single most important flying object in the world. 

I mean, regardless of your opinion of the passenger of Air Force One - and it changes every few years - you have to consider what the world would be like if the worst should happen. World War III would break out. It's possible the only thing left walking the Earth would be cockroaches. And even they have too much brains and pride to fly Spirit. 

And if you want to minimize the risk here by claiming 8 miles isn't that close, let me settle your hash. A bunch of years ago I was going to go skydiving in Barnstable on the Cape. But all flights were grounded because the Obamas were vacationing on the Vineyard. A little prop plane flying from an airport 45 miles, 10 of that heavily patrolled ocean, wasn't allowed in the sky because of the precious human cargo on the island. But here's a jumbo jet ignoring frequent warnings because they're playing Candy Crush or whatever. 

Anyway, good on that ATC guy for being on top of the situation, even if the Spirit flight crew couldn't be bothered. Those people in the tower have a tough job. And this one might have done nothing less than save the world.