More often than not when we see air traffic control interactions where someone loses their patience, it’s the air traffic controller with an attitude, and not the pilot. Here’s a case where a United Airlines captain had an unnecessarily bad attitude, with an ironic twist at the end…
United captain insults Newark air traffic controller
YouTube channel You can see ATC has the audio and a visualization of an incident that happened shortly after 12:30PM on April 22, 2026, involving the Newark approach air traffic controller. A United Boeing 787-10 was just wrapping up a transatlantic flight from Brussels (BRU) to Newark (EWR), and was minutes from landing, when the interaction happened.
The Dreamliner was given vectors for the approach, in preparation for intercepting the localizer. Just as the plane passed Teterboro Airport (TEB) and prepared to make its final turn toward Newark, here’s what went down:
United pilot: “United 995.”
Approach controller: “United 995, go ahead.”
United pilot: “Do you wanna give me that intercept?”
Approach controller “I know what I’m doing, just give me about like five more seconds.”
United pilot: “Okay, I’ll take a phone number too when you can.”
Approach controller: “United 985, turn right heading 190 to join, cleared ILS 22L.”
United pilot: “190, cleared 22L, United 995.”
Approach controller: “United 995, reduce speed to 160, hold 160 to five-mile final.”
United pilot: “I thought you know what you are doing? 160 to five, United 995.”
The United pilot was being a complete jerk here:
- If he thought the air traffic controller wasn’t paying attention or giving instructions soon enough, he could’ve asked more politely than he did
- It’s a ridiculous escalation to then immediately ask for a phone number for the manager; while it’s better to talk about this kind of stuff off frequency, this hardly seems like something worth discussing further
- The comment at the end about “I thought you know what you are doing” is completely unnecessary
- It’s likely that the controller had a reason he was waiting to clear the United jet for the ILS, which is that another aircraft was taking off out of Teterboro, immediately beneath the United plane, so he understandably wanted to maintain control of the situation
The pilot was obviously just cranky, but this is where it gets sort of hilarious.
The first officer couldn’t read back basic instructions
As soon as this United jet landed and they were talking to the tower controller, it became clear that the person talking up until that point was the captain, and not the first officer. That’s because captains and first officers alternate which segments they fly, and the pilot not flying is the one on the radios. But captains always taxi the plane, so once on the ground, another voice (the first officer) takes over the radio.
Ironically the captain had been attacking the air traffic controller for not knowing what he was doing, while his own first officer struggled with reading back basic instructions, in a way that’s just painful to listen to:
Tower controller: “United 995 heavy, we’re still waiting on the gate, so you’re gonna go southbound P, then AA, hold short of runway 22R.”
United pilot: “P, hold short 22R, United 995.”
Tower controller: “And just confirm, hold short of 22R at AA, United 995 heavy.”
United pilot: “Affirmative, copy, United 995 heavy.”
Tower controller: “I just need the full read back, United 995, hold short of runway 22R at AA.”
United pilot: “22R at AA, United 995.”
Tower controller: “You just said 22R at AA.”
*no response*
Tower controller: “United 995 heavy, at AA hold short of runway 22R.”
United pilot: “At AA hold short of runway 22R, United 995.”
Unbelievable that it took nine transmissions for that to be cleared up. Huge kudos to the tower controller for maintaining his cool, because I can only imagine how some other controllers would lose their patience. And kudos to him for also insisting on a correct read back. He wasn’t being pedantic — this is the communication we need to prevent misunderstandings, like what we recently saw with Qatar Airways in Houston (IAH).
Also, this first officer really needs some radio training. A student pilot shouldn’t communicate this poorly, let alone the pilot of a heavy aircraft. When the pilot didn’t read the instructions back correctly and the controller made a correction, the pilot’s response was to say “affirmative,” rather than reading it back?! Really?
The fact that after the above interaction the captain still asks the tower controller for the supervisor’s number to complain about unprofessionalism is quite something.
Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I can’t help but wonder if the captain was in such a bad mood because he had been paired with that first officer that entire trip, and had just completely run out of patience. Or maybe he’s always just a cranky jerk.
Bottom line
A United Airlines Boeing 787 pilot on approach to Newark felt that the approach controller wasn’t giving him instructions fast enough, so he gave him an attitude. When the controller responded that he knew what he was doing (and all signs point to that being the case), the pilot immediately asked for a phone number to discuss it further and complain. he then later mocked the controller, saying “I thought you know what you are doing?”
Meanwhile his co-pilot couldn’t even read back basic instructions, in what can only be described as a painful interaction. My main takeaway is kudos to the tower controller for his extreme professionalism and patience.
What do you make of this Newark ATC situation?