Something with ATC at SFO

travelpulse.com

1 pointphkahler2 comments

tl;dr Exchange between pilot and ATC with pilot complaining about having to go around twice, i.e., break off a landing approach and go around to try again.

There's not much info other than the exchange between the pilot and ATC. But it's really strange that ATC is claiming that planes on the ground are given priority (for the a runway) over planes in the air.

That doesn't make sense to me: a plane in the air can only stay there so long while a plane on the ground can stay there indefinitely. Seems like a plane landing should have priority over a plane taking off.

That stuck out to me also. Reading it again, though, the pilot is talking to NorCal, not the local ATC, at this point. I think the NorCal person is being sarcastic rather than stating a policy:

"That’s great. Apparently, aircraft on the ground have priority over aircraft in the air."

(basically taking a swipe at the priorities of the local ATC, who both of them seem pretty pissed at)

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