Incident Overview - A JetBlue flight experienced a near collision with a US Air Force plane near Venezuela [1] - The JetBlue pilot reported the military plane crossed their flight path and did not have its transponder turned on [1] - The incident is under review by Southern Command [4] Safety Concerns - The incident involved a loss in normal separation between the aircraft [3] - Military aircraft often turn off transponders to avoid broadcasting positions to potential adversaries [5] - An expert noted that the risk of collision was not high [6] Geopolitical Context - The US has increased activity in the Caribbean, targeting alleged drug traffickers [4] - The US President previously warned airlines, pilots, drug dealers, and human traffickers that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela was considered closed [5]

Well, the National Transportation Safety Board is warning about a provision in the House passed defense spending bill that they say actually relaxes flight restrictions in Washington DC. You'll remember less than a year ago, 67 people were killed in the mid-air collision between a US Blackhawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Reagan National Airport. NTSB Chair Jennifer Hammedy was visibly angry as she called the provision a significant safety setback and noted that the NTSB was never e ...