American Airlines flight aborts takeoff at LAX after crossing paths with cargo plane

(The Hill) — An American Airlines flight abandoned takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Sunday night after a cargo plane crossed the runway in front of it.

American Airlines flight 2453 was departing Los Angeles for Boston Logan International Airport when AeroLogic flight 619 landed on the runway at 10:33 p.m. local time — nearly an hour-and-a-half ahead of schedule — according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24. The AeroLogic flight arrived in Los Angeles from Shanghai. 

American Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident to The Hill on Monday. Via a spokesperson, American said flight 2453 “discontinued its takeoff” after its crew saw the AeroLogic plane.

“The aircraft later re-departed for BOS normally,” the statement added. “We thank our crew members for their quick action and our customers for their understanding.”

According to the FAA, the AeroLogic plane crossed the runway “without authorization,” and air traffic control then instructed the American flight to cancel takeoff. The closest the two planes got to each other was roughly 5,200 feet, the agency added. 

According to Flightradar24, the American flight took off for Boston at 12:55 a.m. local time, more than two hours after its scheduled departure. The flight, with 94 passengers and seven crew members on board, landed in Boston just before 9 a.m. EDT Monday.

AeroLogic, based in Germany, is a joint venture between DHL and Lufthansa Cargo. The Hill has reached out to AeroLogic for comment.