A Southwest Airlines flight arriving from Oklahoma City on Thursday afternoon was reported as experiencing a “close call” by News4SA, but a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson confirmed Friday, that the plane had performed a routine maneuver.

“Air traffic control instructed Southwest Airlines Flight 576 to perform a go-around at San Antonio International Airport because another aircraft was slow to depart,” the FAA said in a statement. “The required separation was maintained.”

Go-arounds are a normal part of commercial aviation and are outlined on every airport’s approach charts. The FAA says they allow controllers and pilots to maintain spacing between aircraft by flying a designated route around the airport when conditions change, such as in weather, traffic or ground delays. 

FAA safety parameters require 3-5 miles of distance between planes as a standard. The San Antonio International Airport confirmed in a statement that the plane was still 4.1 miles away from the airport when the order was given. 

While passengers sometimes perceive them as emergency evasions, the FAA says they are common and a part of standard pilot training to avoid incidents known as runway incursions. 

Runway incursions are the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on a runway. In 2024, there were 1,474 runway incursions reported nationally, according to the FAA database, down from 1,777 in 2023. These totals include incidents reported for all flights the FAA handles, totalling just over 16 million flights a year, roughly 44,000 a day including cargo, charter, military and commercial flights. 

Thursday’s go-around occurred on the 30th day of the federal government shutdown, during which air traffic controllers and other FAA employees are working without pay. The agency acknowledged increased staffing shortages across the system amid the ongoing shutdown.

“When that happens, the FAA slows traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations,” an agency spokesperson said.

Airport officials say the Southwest airlines aircraft landed safely at SAT without issue on its second approach.