British Airways 777 Pilots Scolded by Angry San Francisco ATC

LONDON- The national airline of the UK, British Airways (BA), successfully landed a flight from London Heathrow (LHR) to San Francisco (SFO) on June 29, 2025. However, the pilots faced scolding from a frustrated SFO air traffic controller during taxiing, despite the ATC’s mistake.

The Boeing 777 crew sought clarification after receiving conflicting taxi instructions. This led to an unprofessional and curt reply from the ground controller at SFO. The incident has received backlash from aviation professionals and observers, highlighted in a video shared by VASAviation.

Upon arriving at San Francisco (SFO), the British Airways pilots were directed to taxi to the international terminal.

After crossing Runway 28L, they anticipated a left turn onto Taxiway B or A, which is a standard procedure for arrivals heading to the terminal.

Instead, the ATC gave a “right turn Bravo” command without providing adequate context, just as the pilots were shifting radio frequencies.

The timing of this switch and the incomplete transmission caused the crew to miss the initial part of the instruction. When they asked the controller for clarification, confirming they were heading to the international terminal, they were met with frustration from the controller:

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

The pilots halted at the intersection of Taxiways E and B to prevent a possible conflict with a United Airlines (UA) Boeing 777 that was approaching from the east on Taxiway F. Post-event comments from the pilots indicated that without clarification, following the partial instruction could have nearly resulted in a collision.

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

You can hear the complete conversation here:

Reactions from the Aviation Community and Industry Pilots

<pmany pilots="" and="" aviation="" professionals="" condemned="" the="" controller’s="" demeanor="" misleading="" instruction.="" social="" media="" youtube="" reactions="" described="" actions="" of="" atc="" as:

• “Unprofessional and hostile,”
• “A safety hazard due to miscommunication,”
• “Indicative of poor training and CRM standards at the tower.”

Numerous comments emphasized that if pilots had spoken in such a dismissive tone during cockpit communications, they would have faced disciplinary reviews or retraining under Crew Resource Management (CRM) policies.

One pilot remarked, “This wasn’t just a lapse in communication—it was dangerously close to a runway incursion. Incidents like this underscore why procedures and professional decorum are imperative at busy international airports.”

Reports indicate that the same controller issued conflicting instructions to a Southwest Airlines (WN) aircraft shortly after the British Airways occurrence, further raising alarm.

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

Operational and Regulatory Implications

This incident highlights significant concerns regarding ATC-pilot communications, especially in complicated airport environments like San Francisco (SFO). Aviation safety analysts are advocating for a review of ATC recordings and procedures, emphasizing the need for:

• Clear and thorough instructions during frequency handoffs,
• Professional communication under stress,
• Systematic escalation and reporting procedures for safety concerns.

Similar Incident

A tense verbal exchange transpired between an All Nippon Airways (NH) pilot and air traffic control at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on March 2, 2025.

The ANA (NH) flight, operating a Boeing 777 out of New York (JFK), encountered confusion regarding taxi clearance due to the controller’s use of non-standard terminology not recognized in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

When the All Nippon Airways pilot sought taxi clearance from JFK ATC, the controller replied, “You’re on request,” a phrase that is not included in official ICAO communications guidelines. This ambiguity led to confusion in the cockpit, prompting the pilot to ask for clarification multiple times.

Instead of employing standard terminology such as “Standby for taxi” or “Hold position,” the controller repeatedly used the unclear phrase and displayed impatience towards the pilot’s requests for clarification. This interaction, recorded by ATC audio monitors, escalated due to the controller’s tone and refusal to provide standard guidance.

The failure to adhere to internationally accepted ICAO phraseology complicated the ANA crew’s ability to accurately interpret instructions, a risk in a busy hub like JFK, where many international pilots may not speak English as their first language.

Despite the pilot’s multiple attempts to clarify, the controller did not modify his language or provide recognized instructions, choosing instead to criticize the pilot’s knowledge of local procedures.

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