An air traffic controller at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) gave a British Airways pilot the incorrect instructions, and then scolded him. If nothing else, this clearly reflects just how stressed out some air traffic controllers are, and how collectively bad we are at deescalation.
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SFO ATC gives wrong instructions, and then it escalates
VASAviation has the scoop on what happened at SFO on the afternoon of June 29, 2025. This incident occurred shortly after a British Airways Boeing 777-300ER landed at the airport, and was handed over from the tower controller to the ground controller.
Before the incident even escalated, I can’t help but point out that the controller’s tone sure came across as rather combative, so I imagine she was stressed before this incident even started.
What happened is that the ground controller clears the British Airways 777 to taxi to the ramp via taxiway A. However, there’s a United Airbus A319 holding short of a taxiway, so there’s clearly not enough space for the British Airways 777 to pass by via that taxiway.
So the controller corrects herself, and instead, instructs the plane to go via taxiways B, H, and A. Fair enough, except for the fact that the plane was already past the ideal turning point for taxiway B, so that concerns the British Airways pilots.
That’s when the conflict really starts:
British Airways pilot: “Okay, we’re unable B, we just missed it.”
Ground controller: “Speedbird 28K heavy, join B. Turn left, please, now.”
British Airways pilot: “Speedbird 28K, you told us A and we’re now too far to make B.”
Ground controller: “Okay, so you can’t turn at all?”
British Airways pilot: “No, we can, but with this green area on the left, is that safe if we taxi over?”
Ground controller: “Affirmative.”
British Airways pilot: “Okay, we’ll turn left. Next time tell us the correct taxiway.”
Ground controller: “Listen, we’re in training up here. Mistakes are going to happen, and look at that, your nose wheel is on the line, so you very well could do it! Know your aircraft!”
British Airways pilot: “I know my aircraft. We’re trying to do checklists and then you give me conflicting instructions.”
Ground controller: “Speedbird 28K heavy, I’m gonna have a phone number for you. Stand by. Don’t talk on the radio anymore.”
You can listen to the audio for yourself below, and I think it’s worth doing, as the tone is a key element in this interaction.
As usual, deescalation skills are in short supply
If we had to assign blame here, I’d definitely say the air traffic controller is more at fault than the pilot. Of course I recognize that air traffic controllers work really hard, and are often way too stressed.
The way I view it, she gave the incorrect instructions, and then tried to scold the pilot for not “knowing” his aircraft. Rather than just saying “sorry about that” and moving on, she needed to prove her point and be right.
But that brings us to the British Airways pilot. Sure, technically he was less wrong than the air traffic controller, but he also didn’t really try to deescalate the situation. It should’ve been clear to him that the air traffic controller was stressed out, and saying “next time tell us the correct taxiway” wasn’t exactly great deescalation, and didn’t accomplish anything. It was an honest mistake, so it’s not like she did it intentionally.
Bottom line
An SFO ground controller gave a British Airways pilot wrong taxiway instructions. That wasn’t a big deal, except for the seeming lack of deescalation skills on both sides. The controller had an attitude, then the British Airways pilot told her to give correct instructions next time, and then the controller responded by telling him to know his aircraft, and be quiet.
What do you make of this SFO incident?
A second question. Can the pilot also use the same line, asking ATC to give them a phone number because they want to call?
These ATC guys always finish with a sort of threat of giving "a phone number." Why is that? Where are the pilots supposed to call, who picks up and what's the purpose of the call? And what happens if the pilot just doesn't make that call?
How is this anyone but the controllers fault?
Mark my words, the next major US air accident is going to be at SFO. Their controllers are frighteningly overworked, the airport is overloaded, and the airfield layout is begging for some kind of collision.
Yeah… Really pretty simple this one. The ATC made a mistake and then went on a power trip. She is in the wrong; BA pilot in the right.
I agree with Norita. On both points.
Controllers provide a paid service and must give correct instructions. It's not really a "oops, we messed up; nobody's perfect" venue. Gov't should apply the same rigour that they do to crash investigations. Errors (including this type) should be logged and published. ATC needs total accountability, to benefit the flying public and also, in the long run, the ATCs. If they're stressed and underfunded and understaffed, shouldn't they...
I agree with Norita. On both points.
Controllers provide a paid service and must give correct instructions. It's not really a "oops, we messed up; nobody's perfect" venue. Gov't should apply the same rigour that they do to crash investigations. Errors (including this type) should be logged and published. ATC needs total accountability, to benefit the flying public and also, in the long run, the ATCs. If they're stressed and underfunded and understaffed, shouldn't they welcome an exposé? If funding should be doubled, isn't total transparrency the easiest way to get the public onside?
Ben's supportive preamble about ATCs is of course on-brand and appropriate. But clearly we don't want hangry error-prone ATCs on duty, ever. there's simply too much at stake to "coddle" a moody ATC.
Is it a pilot’s job to “coddle” a “stressed” controller?
Controller is wrong and then gets on a power trip.
@ben you can’t be on both sides in order to be seen as neutral.
I feel super nervous whenever these things come to light. While I understand that they are edge cases that do not represent the norm, I feel like the problem is staring at all of us right in the face and it's only a matter of time until something more egregious takes place. What can be done to improve the situation? Hard to tell, and I'm out of answers.
What can be done?
Remove humans.
The 77W doesn't turn on a dime. The BA pilots have every reason to question a last minute turn.
The controller needs to learn that, in training or not, admit you are wrong and de-escalate.
Time to remove these obsolete humans from the controls.
JoeAmateur only proves they are just greedy dinosaurs refusing to go extinct.
Absolutely correct bro, get the sick, lame, lazy, gobby and rude American ATC staff, need replacing with Russian, Iranian, North Korean or Chinese AI Bots.
That would sort out the problems …. NOT!
The controller is way out of line. I’d have called the number she gave me and lodged a formal complaint about her shtty attitude.