Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 aborts take-off from taxiway at Orlando Airport, U.S.

On 20 March, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800, carrying registration N8315C, began take-off roll on a taxiway, parallel to the actual runway at Orlando Airport, United States. During the take off roll, air traffic control canceled the take-off clearance, after the aircraft safely stopped. The crew was scheduled to operate domestic flight WN3278 to Albany Airport, New York.

The FAA said to investigate the incident: “an air traffic controller at Orlando International Airport canceled the takeoff clearance for Southwest Airlines Flight 3278 around 9:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, March 20, after the aircraft began its takeoff roll on a taxiway. The taxiway runs parallel to the runway. The flight was headed to Albany International Airport in New York. No other aircraft were involved.”

The aircraft returned to the gate, Southwest Airlines dispatched a replacement aircraft (a Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered N8802Q). Passengers arrived in Albany with a delay of over two hours after the originally scheduled time.