Pilots have reported repeated close calls similar to fatal collision near DC airport

United States airspace is the safest in the world. ... Safety is one of our top priorities, and we continue to ensure that the airport is safe."

Lierecke denied any problems in the Friday press conference, saying

We have to have our smartest people” as air traffic controllers

Trump said Thursday morning

You don’t want to be the rookie on your first flight landing there,

said Campbell, who is also a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel

A number of us have been sounding the alarm about congestion for some time,

he said of DCA’s flight schedule, noting the

Thank God, a collision and catastrophe were averted,

Kaine said at the time

The airspace is both complicated and crowded as an increasingly high volume of passenger planes share the air, and communications frequencies, with military aircraft, VIP flights, White House transportation and drones flying clandestine operations,

he wrote

They don’t have time to be looking out the side window for a black helicopter,

he said

She’s very concerned, she’s been texting me the whole time,

Estrada said

Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathan’s family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time,

the statement obtained by local NBC affiliate WFLA concluded

I was so proud when Sam became a pilot,

Timothy Lilley wrote

They've kept us in the dark,

an American Airlines worker who asked to remain anonymous told The U.S. Sun

I'm flying out, it’s pretty tragic,

Abhi, a 25-year-old traveler told The U.S. Sun at the airport

We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,

said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation's capital

It's OK to have more flights, but you also have to have the staffing requirements inside of air traffic control."

When asked

I've been crying since yesterday,

Andemicael said, her voice cracking

Both pilots had flown this specific route before, at night. This wasn't something new to either one of them,

said Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation

The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,

the report said

There's been some early reports suggesting that the air traffic control center was staffed with only one individual … over the next coming weeks and days and months, I'm hoping we get to the bottom of that."

He said

We've had a loss of personnel during the pandemic, pilots, air traffic controllers, technicians across the board,

says Shahidi

We have redundant systems in our country—automation systems as well as protocols and training that all work together to give us the transportation system that we have today and the safety record that we've had over all these years,

says Hassan Shahidi, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation