<div id="readability-page-1"><p>Two jets narrowly avoided a collision while departing Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport earlier this month, prompting a federal investigation.</p> <p>A Volaris Airlines flight bound for El Salvador made an unauthorized right turn into the path of a United Express flight headed to Jackson, Mississippi, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). </p><p>Air traffic control instructed Volaris Flight 4321 to turn left after departing Houston Intercontinental Airport on Dec. 18, but instead, the crew turned right towards CommuteAir Flight 814, which departed from a parallel runway, according to the FAA.</p> <p>United Airlines is a partial owner of CommuteAir. </p> <div><p><strong>CHRISTMAS TRAVELERS LEFT STRANDED AS AIRPORTS SEE MASS FLIGHT CANCELATIONS, DELAYS</strong></p></div><div><div>    <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/houston-airport.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="931" height="523" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/houston-airport.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x"/></div> <p><span>The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control tower at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, US, on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025.</span><span> (Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)</span></p></div><p>The incident occurred around 3:05 p.m. local time. The FAA said it is still investigating.</p><p><strong><u>HOLIDAY TRAVELERS FACE FLIGHT DELAYS AS FAA RESTRICTS AIRSPACE NATIONWIDE AMID WINTER WEATHER: REPORT</u></strong></p><table><thead><tr><th>Ticker</th> <th>Security</th> <th>Last</th> <th>Change</th> <th>Change %</th></tr></thead> <tbody><tr><td>VLRS</td> <td>CONTROLADORA VUELA COMP DE AVIACION</td> <td>9.22</td> <td>-0.06</td> <td>        -0.65%      </td></tr><tr><td>UAL</td> <td>UNITED AIRLINES HOLDINGS INC.</td> <td>114.04</td> <td>-0.77</td> <td>        -0.67%      </td></tr> <tr><td colspan="5"></td></tr></tbody></table><p>CommuterAir told FOX Business that, based on its initial assessment, its &#34;crew followed all applicable ATC instructions.&#34; </p><div><div>    <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/houston-airport-2.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="931" height="523" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/houston-airport-2.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x"/></div> <p><span>An United Airlines plane is seen at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on July 25, 2025, in Houston, Texas.</span><span> (RONALDO SCHEMIDT/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)</span></p></div><p>FOX Business reached out to Volaris for comment. The airport deferred comment to the FAA. </p><p><strong><u>SOUTHWEST OFFERING $67 FLIGHTS IN NOD TO VIRAL INTERNET MEME: 'TRENDY' SALE</u></strong></p><div><div>    <img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/volaris-airline.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="931" height="523" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxbusiness.com/foxbusiness.com/content/uploads/2025/12/931/523/volaris-airline.jpg/query-dGw9MSZ2ZT0x"/></div> <p><span>A Volaris aircraft prepares to land at Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) in Mexico City, Mexico, on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.</span><span> (Mauricio Palos/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)</span></p></div><p>The Houston Intercontinental Airport sees an average of 500 daily arriving flights and over 20 million passenger arrivals annually, according to the airport's website. </p><p>Despite the rise in close calls and related safety incidents in the airline industry, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has maintained that it is safe to fly. </p><p>He reiterated the message ahead of the Christmas holiday, a time when thousands of passengers crowd airports nationwide.</p><p><strong>GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE</strong></p><p>&#34;You saw that as we were getting into the last days of the shutdown, we reduced the capacity of airlines by 10% because we saw the trend lines going in the wrong direction. We will take whatever steps are necessary to make sure the airspace is safe,&#34; Duffy told <u>FOX Business' Maria Bartiromo</u> earlier this month.</p></div>

<p>Two jets nearly collided while departing from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport, leading to a federal investigation by the FAA. A Volaris Airlines flight made an unauthorized right turn into the path of a United Express flight. The incident occurred on December 18 at 3:05 p.m. local time. The FAA is investigating, while United Airlines stated its crew followed ATC instructions. Despite rising safety incidents, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy assured that flying remains safe, especially during the busy holiday season.</p>

Two airlines nearly collide taking off from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport