She was speaking extremely fast. It’s becoming more of a issue as many controllers seem to be in a speed talking contest. She is always hard to understand when she gets into her speed talking mode.

I’ve been JFK based in the past and have operated into and out of there for more years than I’d like to admit.

They are usually really particular about getting a read back with the full call sign and runway. She sounded like she was stressed and was more interested in moving metal than verifying radio verbiage.

And Delta, man, I would never cross an active without verifying, especially with bright lights shining at my 3 o’clock.

And the FACT remains, she issued a "hold short". If you can't comply in JFK, you'd have a VERY HARD TIME in ORD (same in JFK). Seriously, what's so hard about verifying a cleared to cross when in doubt? Doesn't cost anything, come out of your profit share?. People cry like crazy about ORD and the "whatever you do, DON'T STOP!!!" mantra. What are they gonna do? Violate you because you STOPPED and were unsure of a further clearance? Where is that in the FAR/AIM? The controller might bytch at you, who cares?

I don't care whether it's at, ATL, ORD, DTW, LAX, etc, just hold short, it's EASIER than just crossing and hoping for the best. Listen to the argument after, pretty lame.

I still want to know, did they run the QRH? Did they get a wind check? And was it light chop as they crossed?

Lots of faults here... and both parties doubling down saying they did things they didn’t do?! The one aborting the takeoff was the only well done party here, and the controller took credit for that while they did it on their own!

Also, just to reiterate, both pilots are 64 years old. Just sayin. :D

Just STOP, it's easier...

It's not a "It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission" issue.

Kind of pilot 101.

Did Captain Happy transition to another plane?

Is this SXM-JFK built as a day trip JFK-SXM-JFK or does the crew overnight in SXM and do the leg to JFK?

Yup. I’m kind of sick of blame always going on the pilots and never ATC with instances like this.

The speed taking is an issue
Places like ORD where it’s standard to “never stop the plane” or to not read back taxi instructions, or “call sign only, cleared to cross runway XX”. All this is bad procedure/technique, whatever you want to call it. ATC has been doing stuff like this for years and we give them a pass. A pilot messes up, its “here is the number”. DTW now clears you to taxi in from the east side with taxi instructions to cross the non operational intersecting runway, 3 times recently this has happened. Sorry but I still want a cleared to cross because I need that verbalized to me and repeated back. I don’t care if it’s not in operation.

Speaking of...so the Delta guys messed up, no doubt, so now let’s ask them to copy down a phone number while still taxing in and probably very shaken up by what has happened. Heaven forbid you wait until they are at the gate, nope, got to get that phone number down while taxing. So critical to flight/taxi operations.

What he said......plus
I’ve no doubt the FO never looked out the window and said “ Clear Right”, and the Captain did not wait for it.

I’ve seen this more and more this last decade as heads down duties increase. When I prompt the FO for the “Clear right?”, approaching the runway, I often get a response of either perfunctory “ yeah, clear right before their head swivels”, or some subtle irritation “.


See and avoid is not in Magenta..maybe it should be.

We (everybody, crew and pax on two airplanes) got saved once when my FO at the regional did NOT say "clear right" just to hear himself say it. His visibility was obstructed due to the sharp angle of the high-speed. So I stopped. Just as a 737 rotated at our intersection (100% ATC goof).

This was about 6-7 years ago when ATC staffing at LAX had just changed for the worse.

Lesson learned was to approach the hold-short as close as perpendicular as you can get so both pilots have a good view.

Also not ideal that some operator's SOP now specify all lights on when position and hold... in the old days that was a sure sign the guy was setting thrust. Now you don't know what his intentions are.

The Delta pilots mistake started 500 feet out on final. You can see the runways and aircraft holding short of the active right runway. You can HEAR the tower controlling the right active runway. You can usually see another aircraft in position. Your brain has to go beyond the radome.