British Airways 777 Pilots Scolded by Angry San Francisco ATC

British Airways 777 Pilots Scolded by Angry San Francisco ATC

LONDON- The national airline of the United Kingdom, British Airways (BA), successfully landed a flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) on June 29, 2025. However, the pilots faced an irate response from the San Francisco air traffic control (ATC) during their taxiing process, despite the confusion stemming from the controller’s mistake.

The Boeing 777 crew sought clarification due to conflicting taxi instructions, which resulted in an unprofessional retort from the SFO ground controller. This incident has sparked criticism among aviation experts and observers, illustrated by a video distributed by VASAviation.

Upon landing at San Francisco (SFO), the British Airways pilots received instructions to head towards the international terminal.

They were anticipating a turn to the left onto Taxiway B or A, a common practice for arrivals destined for the terminal.

Unexpectedly, the ATC controller directed them to make a “right turn Bravo” instruction without sufficient context, just as the pilots were switching radio frequencies.

Due to the timing of the frequency change and an incomplete transmission, the crew didn’t catch the initial part of the instruction. When they asked the controller for clarity and confirmed that they were parking at the international terminal, the controller responded with exasperation:

“That’s why I told you to turn RIGHT onto Bravo! Join A to the ramp and listen better next time!”

The pilots paused their taxiing at the intersection of Taxiways E and B to prevent a potential conflict with a United Airlines (UA) Boeing 777 approaching from the east on Taxiway F. Post-event comments from the pilots suggested that following the unclear instruction without clarification could have led to a near-collision.

ALSO READ: American Airlines 737 Pilot and Washington ATC Involved in Heated Argument

You can listen to the full conversation here:

Community and Industry Reactions

A number of pilots and professionals from the aviation sector criticized the controller’s demeanor and ambiguous instructions. Remarks emerged on various social media platforms and YouTube, labeling the actions of the ATC as:

  • “Unprofessional and unfriendly,”
  • “A potential safety risk due to miscommunication,”
  • “Reflective of inadequate training and CRM protocols at the control tower.”

Many emphasized that if pilots spoke in such a dismissive manner during cockpit communications, it would lead to disciplinary reviews or retraining following Crew Resource Management (CRM) guidelines.

One pilot stated, “This was not merely a communication error—it nearly resulted in a runway incursion. Situations such as this underline the necessity of established procedures and professional conduct at busy international airports.”

The same controller reportedly issued contradictory instructions shortly after the British Airways incident to an aircraft belonging to Southwest Airlines (WN), which escalated concerns further.

ALSO READ: JetBlue A321 Pilot Yells at New York ATC Amid Two Go-Arounds

Regulatory and Operational Considerations

This incident brings to light broader concerns about the interactions between ATC and pilots, especially within complex airport procedures like those at San Francisco (SFO). Aviation safety analysts are advocating for a review of the ATC recordings and procedures, emphasizing the need for:

  • Clear and comprehensive instructions during transitions in radio frequency,
  • A professional tone in communication, even under pressure,
  • Existence of structured procedures for reporting and escalating safety concerns.

Similar Incident

An unsettling exchange occurred between an All Nippon Airways (NH) pilot and ATC at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on March 2, 2025.

The ANA flight, maneuvering a Boeing 777 out of New York (JFK), encountered puzzling taxi clearance due to the controller employing a phrase not recognized by International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

The incident initiated when the All Nippon Airways pilot sought taxi clearance from JFK ATC prior to takeoff. The controller responded with “You’re on request,” a phrase absent from the official ICAO communications lexicon. This lack of clarity created confusion within the cockpit, prompting requests for clarification multiple times.

Instead of using standard terminology such as “Standby for taxi” or “Hold position,” the controller reiterated the confusing phrase and displayed impatience with the pilot’s follow-up inquiries. The exchange quickly deteriorated owing to the controller’s tone and reluctance to clarify.

This deviation from globally acknowledged ICAO phraseology impeded the ANA crew’s capability to accurately interpret directives, raising safety concerns at a busy hub like JFK, where numerous international pilots may not have English as their first language.

Despite the pilot’s repeated attempts for clarification, the controller neither adjusted his language nor provided standard guidance, opting instead to criticize the pilot’s understanding of local procedures.

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A visual representation related to the aviation incident discussed.

Based on an article from aviationa2z.com: https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/07/09/british-airways-777-pilots-scolded-by-angry-san-francisco-atc/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=british-airways-777-pilots-scolded-by-angry-san-francisco-atc

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