'It's Outrageous': US Air Force Plane Nearly Hits Commercial JetBlue Flight

JetBlue Flight 1112 was taking off from the Caribbean island of Curaçao recently on its way to New York's JFK International Airport. Curaçao is located off the coast of Venezuela, where the U.S. military is conducting an anti-drug campaign against the government of Venezuela. As the airliner was climbing to cruising altitude, it came within a few miles of a U.S. Air Force air-to-air refueling tanker that lets fighter jets refuel in the air. The tanker was at the same altitude and crossing the JetBlue plane's flight path without its transponder on, making it impossible to determine the exact distance between the planes. In the words of the JetBlue pilot, "We almost had a midair collision up here. They passed directly in our flight path...it's outrageous."

After the incident, the Air Force tanker went into Venezuela's airspace. JetBlue leadership reported this alarming incident to federal authorities and offered to take part in any investigation that results from it. Derek Dombrowski, a JetBlue spokesperson, stated that "Our crewmembers are trained on proper procedures for various flight situations, and we appreciate our crew for promptly reporting this situation to our leadership team."

The Air Force told CBS News that it knows about the incident and is reviewing it. "Military aircrews are highly trained professionals who operate in accordance with established procedures and applicable airspace requirements," an Air Force spokesperson said in a statement to the media outlet. "Safety remains a top priority, and we are working through the appropriate channels to assess the facts surrounding the situation."

In late November 2025, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) sent an advisory to all major airlines about a "potentially hazardous situation" that could occur when flying in or near Venezuelan airspace. The FAA notice mentioned a "worsening security situation and heightened military activity in or around Venezuela." This situation could jeopardize all civilian aircraft operating in the area. The FAA also warned U.S. civil aviation assets about the threats from Venezuela's anti-aircraft artillery and other types of air defense systems at lower altitudes.

A huge military buildup in the area has seen the arrival of the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, along with F-35 fighters, the most advanced jets in the world, and eight other ships. The Ford is larger than any of its predecessors at 1,100 feet long and carries a crew of nearly 4,600, including those responsible for the combat aircraft on board. 

Even though there have been no direct flights to Venezuela since 2019 by any U.S. cargo or passenger airlines, some have been overflying the country on their way to other South American destinations. Some specific carriers, such as Delta and American, have stated that they no longer overfly Venezuela.