December 15, 2025
JetBlue flight from Curacao halted ascent to avoid collision; pilot accuses military of unsafe practices amid regional tensions
A JetBlue flight from the Dutch Caribbean territory of Curacao to New York’s JFK Airport narrowly avoided a midair collision Friday with a U.S. Air Force refueling tanker, according to a pilot who called the incident “outrageous” and criticized the military aircraft for not having its transponder activated.
The JetBlue pilot of Flight 1112, traveling just off the coast of Venezuela, reported that the military tanker crossed directly into its path at approximately 2–3 miles distance, forcing the commercial jet to abruptly halt its climb to a safer altitude. A recording of the pilot’s conversation with air traffic control confirmed the account, capturing the pilot’s alarm as he described the encounter.
“It passed directly in our flight path—maybe 2 or 3 miles. It was an air-to-air refueler from the U.S. Air Force, and he was at our altitude. We had to stop our climb,” the pilot stated, adding, “They don’t have their transponder turned on. It’s outrageous.”
Transponders are critical safety tools that allow air traffic control and other aircraft to track a plane’s position and altitude. Military aircraft often disable transponders during operations for security reasons, but the absence of such equipment in shared airspace raises significant collision risks, experts say.
The incident occurs amid heightened U.S. military activity in the region. Less than a month ago, the Department of Defense confirmed it had conducted airstrikes targeting drug-smuggling networks in the Caribbean, while also escalating pressure on Venezuela’s government. The Air Force tanker, after passing near the JetBlue aircraft, reportedly entered Venezuelan airspace, raising questions about compliance with international flight protocols and local sovereignty concerns.
JetBlue’s Flight 1112 departs from Curacao—a hub for regional travel near the U.S. military’s expanded operations in the Caribbean—highlighting growing concerns about the proximity of civilian and military air traffic in the region. While the FAA and U.S. Air Force have not yet publicly commented on the incident, officials are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the near miss.
The pilot’s account underscores broader safety concerns as U.S. military activity in the Caribbean intensifies. Civil aviation experts emphasize that maintaining communication and transponder protocols is essential in congested or contested airspace, particularly near nations with tense diplomatic relations with the U.S.