“Wow” and “Increíble” words crackling over the radio as Aeromexico Flight 1631 touched down only 200 feet in front of Delta Flight 590, which was rolling out of its attempted takeoff at 60 miles per hour down Mexico City’s runway 5R. To the hard-boiled professionals of aviation safety, the shortness of that interval is less a wonder than a grim reminder: in an air traffic environment, even a matter of milliseconds can mean the difference between the ordinary and the disastrous.
The near-miss occurred at Benito Juárez International Airport at about 7:28 a.m. on July 21, 2025. From flight tracking data, the Aeromexico Embraer E190 was in final approach to 05R while Delta’s Boeing 737-800, carrying 150 passengers, had already started its takeoff roll up to 60 mph before the crew saw the approaching plane. The Delta pilots aborted immediately, reversing and taking off the runway as the Aeromexico aircraft landed ahead of them. No one was injured or harmed, but both American and Mexican authorities are looking into the incident.
The dynamics of the incident point to an air traffic control error. Aviation writer Steve Ganyard, who was also a fighter pilot, pointed out, “There are parallel runways at Mexico City. So we don’t know if the controller told the Aeromexico aircraft to land on the left-hand and not the right-hand runway where the Delta jet was. We also don’t know, perhaps the tower controller didn’t understand that they had cleared the Aeromexico aircraft to land while simultaneously clearing the Delta jet to take off.” The main issue, as Ganyard concluded, was evident: “But somewhere it was a failure to communicate.”
Aviation communication breakdowns are usually not trivial. NASA studies identify communication as a causal factor in nearly 80% of all aviation accidents and incidents. The International Civil Aviation Organization has encouraged standardized phraseology clear, internationally consistent terminology such as “hold short,” “line up and wait,” and “cleared for takeoff”–to reduce confusion. Local variation and workload factors can still undercut these safeguards, however. As one El Financiero journalist noted, “the people are overworked,” citing ongoing staffing and training deficiencies at Mexico City’s control towers.
Operational complexity at Benito Juárez International Airport contributes to the risk. With high traffic density, closely spaced parallel runways, and geographic constraints that limit expansion, controllers face an environment where errors can escalate rapidly. The airport has a history of similar incidents, including a 2022 near-miss involving Volaris, which led to the resignation of the director of Mexico’s Air Navigation Services and public calls for reform. Yet, as recent events show, underlying vulnerabilities remain.
There are potential mitigants in technology. Advanced surface incursion detection systems like the Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X, and the Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System are established to give forewarning to controllers as well as crews of simultaneous runtime utilization in real time. However, both of these systems vary by country, and their efficiency relies on system integration with strong procedural and training protocols. The Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions calls for a combination of technology and improved human performance instruction, regular review of procedures, and enhanced visual aids.
Delta Air Lines, in a release, emphasized, “Because nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people, Delta will fully cooperate with authorities as the circumstances around this flight are investigated. We appreciate the flight crew’s actions to maintain situational awareness and act quickly – part of Delta’s extensive training.” Aeromexico made the same commitment: “At Aeromexico, the safety of our customers and employees is, and will always be, our highest priority.”
The present study will analyze situational awareness across flight decks, Delta training protocols, and the adequacy of air traffic control practices. It will also consider whether ICAO-standards phraseology was being used and if there was any local exemption or workload-related slips involved. With all airlines and the regulator pledging transparency and cooperation, the aviation sector anticipates the first report that will demand near-term and longer-term changes to prevent recurrence.
While aviation experts note, “ongoing weaknesses in air traffic control, especially at busy airports like Mexico City, continue to put passengers at risk.” The 200-foot margin between disaster and usual operation is a reminder that in aviation, safety margins must be redundant and strong. Mexico City’s near-miss is not just a cautionary tale, but a call for system-wide changes in training, technology, and communications.
