Several airports in the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and 34 airports across California, are under scrutiny by the Federal Aviation Administration for having surface hot spots, which increase the risk of collision between aircraft on the ground.
The list ranges from small domestic airports to large international airports. The warning does not necessarily mean travelers should avoid them; it is intended primarily for pilots and authorities to exercise greater caution. USA TODAY reported the FAA’s statement, which reads:
“The FAA for many years has published a ‘hot spot’ list showing pilots where incidents have occurred on runways and taxiways at airports nationwide.
“The purpose is to alert pilots to be extra attentive when operating in these locations, which are typically complex or confusing intersections.”
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Most airport hot spot problems include aircraft taxiing in heavy traffic, short distances between parallel runways, and aircraft taxiing onto the wrong runways.
Livermore Municipal Airport and Hayward Executive Airport have the highest number of hot spots, a total of six each, among the 34 California airports mentioned on the FAA’s list.
On the other hand, San Diego International Airport has one hot spot that confuses some pilots, leading them to enter the wrong taxiway.
Los Angeles International Airport
The FAA identified three hot spots at the Los Angeles International Airport. One is from taxiway F to A, where pilots are often asked to hold short of the runway’s marking before entering a taxiway.
Another hot spot was the Runway 25’s designated holding position, where pilots were often found crossing without authorization.
Lastly, the short distance between parallel runways 24 and taxiways V, W, and Y often causes confusion about the appropriate place to stop on the runway because the markings are difficult to see.
San Francisco International Airport
The FAA identified four hot spots at the San Francisco International Airport. The first is a “complex intersection” near the runways that often causes confusion, leading pilots to taxi onto the wrong taxiway.
There are two runways where pilots are told to hold short, since the markings are challenging to spot, or “position signs exist with no surface painted markings.” This accounts for two hot spots that pilots need to be aware of.
Lastly, one hot spot is near a runway where pilots fail to spot the taxiway sign, leading them to skip the turn and cross another runway.
SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel said in an email to USA Today that hot spots are reviewed on a regular basis with the FAA. He wrote:
“We review these hot spots regularly with the FAA, airlines, and ground operators to heighten awareness and develop mitigation strategies.”
“Such strategies may be procedural, or they may be consist of physical improvements, such as a taxiway improvement project completed in 2024, or a runway project starting later this month, which includes adjacent taxiway improvements.”
