After NTSB report on LGA crash, time for Port Authority to make airports safer

There were many ways last month's deadly LaGuardia Airport collision between an Air Canada passenger plane and an airport rescue fire truck could have been avoided.

The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary findings center around three key issues: communication, staffing and technology.

The accident, which killed both pilots and injured dozens, occurred when an Air Canada jet landed as the fire truck crossed the runway. The report, released last week, paints a picture of a chaotic, frightening series of events leading to the collision. Multiple trucks made multiple attempts to contact air traffic control to get clearance to cross the runway. Moments before, an air traffic controller called "stop stop stop" over the radio. The truck operator recalls hearing that, not knowing for whom the transmission was intended. He accelerated, rather than stopping. It wasn't until the controller added "truck 1” to the message that the driver realized — but it was too late.

At the moment there were two air traffic controllers on staff — typical for the late night shift. But one, considered the controller-in-charge, was dealing with a plane that had declared an emergency. So, just one controller was handling two radio frequencies. The NTSB has highlighted the concern of limited nighttime and overnight staffing before. This is why.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the incident is that none of the emergency vehicles were equipped with transponders that could have anticipated the truck's and airplane's trajectories and movements and alerted everyone about a potential crash.

Port Authority Executive Director Kathryn Garcia had previously said she'd wait to see the report before making changes. It's time to stop waiting. In a statement Tuesday, Port Authority chief communications officer James Allen emphasized existing safety technology, while admitting that "transponder technology can provide an additional layer of visibility." Allen pointed to a Newark Liberty International Airport pilot program, promising the Port Authority would "be expanding that capability across our airports, building on the technology already in place." That's critical.

The LaGuardia incident doesn't stand alone, as two near-misses, at Kennedy Airport and in Nashville, happened just in the last two weeks. In both cases, onboard collision warnings helped pilots avoid crashes.

This is an alarming moment for air travel nationwide. Hopefully federal and state officials recognize the gravity of the situation and the urgency needed to improve safety.

The Federal Aviation Administration must step up improving its technology and the training and recruitment of controllers, while establishing more robust staffing standards, especially for late nights.

The Port Authority also has further work to do. It has spent years investing in a long-overdue effort to improve the customer-focused experience and LGA and Kennedy terminals' design. Now, it's time to focus on the busy network of roads and runways, and the vehicles and equipment that use them. More than a better experience, passengers and crews want to be safe in the air and on the ground.