Viva A321neo Crew Tries Landing on Occupied Runway at JFK

An embarrassing and potentially dangerous incident unfolded at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport on the early afternoon of December 18, 2025, when a Viva Aerobus Airbus A321neo attempted to land on the wrong runway while another aircraft was occupying the parallel strip.

The event involved Viva Aerobus flight VB100, operating a roughly four-hour, 20-minute sector from Mexico City to New York. The aircraft, an Airbus A321neo registered XA-VXR, was cleared for the RNAV Z approach to Runway 13L—one of the more demanding approaches at JFK due to its late visual alignment and the airport’s complex airspace.

From the outset, air traffic control communications suggested the flight crew was poorly prepared. The approach controller instructed the aircraft to fly direct to ASALT, the initial approach fix for Runways 13L and 13R, cross at 3,000 feet, and continue the RNAV Z Runway 13L approach. The pilots failed to read back the full clearance, omitting the “direct ASALT” instruction. When prompted again, the response remained vague, and the crew later asked ATC to spell out ASALT—an unusual request for a fix central to the published approach.

Despite these warning signs, the aircraft was handed off to the tower and cleared to land on Runway 13L. At the same time, a Turkish Airlines Boeing 787-9 was instructed to line up and wait on Runway 13R, the parallel runway on the opposite side of the terminal complex. As the tower prepared to clear the Turkish Airlines jet for takeoff, concern was voiced in the background that the Viva aircraft was aligning with the wrong runway.

Indeed, the A321neo descended to around 500 feet while lined up with Runway 13R instead of 13L, prompting the Viva crew to initiate a go-around just before a serious runway incursion could occur. The aircraft subsequently flew another approach and landed safely on Runway 13L, with the tower controller clearly emphasizing “Runway One-Three Left” in the landing clearance. After touchdown, the crew was instructed to contact ATC, indicating a possible pilot deviation review.

What stood out to many observers was not only the crew’s lack of situational awareness, but also the unusually calm demeanor of JFK air traffic controllers throughout the episode—particularly notable at one of the world’s busiest and most congested airports.

Aviation professionals reviewing the incident have pointed to clear signs of inadequate approach briefing and poor communication discipline. The RNAV Z 13L approach explicitly begins at ASALT, and pilots familiar with the chart would reasonably expect that clearance. Attempting such a complex approach without full preparation, then visually lining up with the wrong runway—despite wide spacing and strong visual cues between 13L and 13R—is widely regarded as a serious lapse.

While individual errors can occur, the sequence of events suggests a deeper issue of cockpit preparation and coordination. The incident has also revived memories of a previous Viva Aerobus event in which one of the airline’s aircraft attempted to take off from a taxiway at Chicago O’Hare, raising renewed questions about training consistency and operational discipline.

In this case, catastrophe was avoided thanks to last-minute corrective action and vigilant air traffic control. Still, the December 18, 2025 JFK incident remains a stark reminder that in complex airspace, preparation and clear communication are not optional—they are essential.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, onemileatatime.com