The Federal Aviation Administration last month issued a stark safety warning to pilots about elevated midair collision dangers near Denver International Airport.

Roughly 1 in 5 airline crews headed for certain runways, according to historical data cited by the agency, turn off collision-avoidance technology to prevent what are called “nuisance” alerts. But the FAA, which allows the procedure, now wants airlines to reassess that long-standing practice, arguing it could result in significant risks. 

Capping 12 years of on-again, off-again safety initiatives, the FAA’s move to issue the cautionary message was unusual because the agency for the first time publicly and explicitly acknowledged that previous efforts failed to alleviate the risks. 

Indeed, the FAA now has determined that when it comes to midair collision hazards around Denver International Airport, business as usual no longer may be safe enough.And suddenly, some carriers are listening.  

Experts inside and outside government agree the problems, initially identified by industry and agency safety leaders in 2010, were left unresolved largely to satisfy the economic interests of various airlines.

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