Two Southwest Flight Attendants Hurt After Jet Dives to Avoid Mid-Air Collision

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On Friday 25 July 2025, two flight attendants on a Southwest Airlines flight departing Burbank, California, United States, were injured after pilots took evasive action to dodge another aircraft on take-off, the airline said.

Southwest Flight 1496 sharply descended nearly 150m, according to flight tracking websites, marking the second time in a week that a US commercial jet was forced to make abrupt flight manoeuvres to avoid a potential mid-air collision.

The incident also appeared to be the fourth involving military aircraft since March 2025.

The airline and the Federal Aviation Administration said the Southwest pilots took action after receiving cockpit alerts of other aircraft traffic being dangerously close.

The Southwest Boeing 737 continued on to Las Vegas, where it landed uneventfully.