2 Planes With Same Call Sign in Phoenix Could Have Been ‘Disastrous’

American Airlines flight 2482 was attempting to land from Chicago very early on Friday at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. At the same time, to the dismay of an air traffic controller, another American Airlines flight — also with the call sign 2482 — was departing.

The controller quickly realized the overlap and began to identify the planes as American 2482 “departure” and American 2482 “arrival,” according to a recording of the air traffic dispatch.

He managed to keep the two aircraft properly separated, and the planes touched down and took off without incident.

“I’ve been working air traffic for 25 years — I’ve never seen two aircraft pretty much emerge with the same call sign,” the controller said on the recording. “I’m glad it all worked out there. It could have been disastrous.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/15/us/american-airlines-call-signs-phoenix.html