Spirit flight told to turn as Air Force One passes near New York

A Spirit Airlines passenger jet was ordered by New York air traffic controllers on Tuesday to turn away from Air Force One after controllers concluded the two aircraft were converging over Long Island as the presidential plane carried President Donald Trump and the first lady to the United Kingdom. The exchange, recorded and posted online, shows controllers repeatedly directing Spirit Flight 1300, en route from Fort Lauderdale to Boston, to alter course as the jumbo Boeing 747 carrying the president passed through the region’s congested airspace.

Recordings circulated on social media and of live air traffic communications capture a controller urgently telling the Spirit crew to "turn 20 degrees right" and later warning, "traffic off your left wing by 6 miles, or 8 miles, 747. I'm sure you can see who it is." In a later admonishment the controller can be heard telling the Spirit pilots, "Pay attention. Get off the iPad." The pilots acknowledged the instruction after several repetitions and adjusted their heading.

Despite the dramatic tone of the radio exchange, federal officials say the two aircraft did not breach safety standards. The Federal Aviation Administration said a...