FAA must stop runway scares

Two United Airlines flights clipped wings in Boston Logan airport's gate area Monday morning, the latest in a series of airport mishaps. The others were more concerning, having occurred on runways as planes were on the verge of taking off or landing. In February, a private Learjet proceeded down a runway for takeoff at Logan even after it was told to wait, as a JetBlue airplane was about to land on an intersecting runway.

The near-miss was frightening, as the JetBlue pilot had to abort the landing. Even more alarming is the number of similar close calls since the start of the year. At Kennedy Airport in January, two planes — a Delta Air Lines flight about to take off, and an American Airlines plane crossing the runway — nearly collided, coming within about 1,000 feet of each other. Similar incidents have occurred in California, Texas and Hawaii.

"Runway incursions" happen every year. Luckily, none of the recent incidents ended in collisions. But the quick succession has been rightly worrisome, and is worth the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration, and Congress.

The near-misses come at what is already a difficult time for the FAA, where other issues include a system outage in January that caused thousands of delays and cancellations and Southwest Airlines' October meltdown.

The FAA lacks a steady, permanent hand to manage these crises. President Joe Biden unveiled his pick to head the agency last summer. But Phillip Washington, who heads Denver International Airport but has no other aviation experience, has been a controversial choice — and never received a hearing under the last Congress. In January, Biden renominated Washington, who was named in a search warrant last year in a Los Angeles political corruption investigation. Last week, Washington finally had a Senate confirmation hearing during which Republicans challenged him.

Washington, who has a military background, would be the first Black FAA administrator. He says the Los Angeles allegations, which stem from his past stewardship over the city's transit authority, are false. He has said he would bring a fresh perspective and prioritize safety. Supporters say his ability to lead organizations facing challenges positions him to serve the FAA well.

While political appointees set tone and direction at federal agencies, the permanent bureaucracy runs day-to-day operations. The FAA must show it can manage the crises facing the nation's aviation industry. The ongoing investigation of recent runway incidents, and a look at what can be done differently, are top priorities. The FAA must reassure passengers and crews that their safety is paramount and that it can prevent these runway incidents. Air travelers shouldn't feel unsafe, whether in the air or on the ground.