A potential mid-air collision was avoided over the Atlantic Ocean on July 10 after the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) on two commercial airliners initiated emergency separation maneuvers. The incident involved an Iberia Airbus A321XLR and an Air Europa Boeing 787-9, both operating at FL360.
The two aircraft were positioned on the same route and altitude while traveling in opposite directions. As the aircraft approached one another, the independent onboard systems triggered a Traffic Advisory followed by a Resolution Advisory. The Iberia crew initiated a 500-foot descent, while the Air Europa flight climbed by 400 feet, successfully increasing vertical separation until the conflict was cleared.
Spain’s Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC) has opened a formal inquiry into the event. Investigators are currently focusing on the procedural breakdown that resulted in both aircraft receiving authorization for the same flight level on an oceanic track.
This event underscores the technical importance of TCAS as a final layer of safety. The system operates independently of ground-based air traffic control, providing critical guidance when standard separation minima are compromised.