4 days Ago By Gaurav Joshi
Another incident of an aircraft being struck with laser light has surfaced, this time involving an Avelo Airlines Boeing 737. There have been several such incidents in recent days and the Federal Aviation Administration has also reported that such cases remain high. Laser lights can pose a danger to departing or landing aircraft as they have the potential to illuminate the cockpit or temporarily obscure the vision of pilots performing crucial tasks at such critical stages of a flight.
Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 struck by laser light An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 was illuminated by a blue laser on April 4 near Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. According to a report by WMUR , the incident took place at 21:40 on Friday night, 15 miles from the airport. The incident occurred on Avelo flight XP 1170, which was flying from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) to Concord–Padgett Regional Airport (USA) in North Carolina.
Thankfully, no harm was reported to the flight or its occupants. These incidents can be dangerous and take pilots by surprise, affecting their performance. WMUR quotes commercial pilot Tom Pasquariello as saying, “There's no real way to prepare for it from a safety perspective.
We're trained on how to handle weather and adverse scenarios during critical phases of flight, but nothing really prepares you to lose your eyesight, even if it's just temporary.” What does the FAA say? The Federal Aviation Administration has alerted to the dangers of laser strikes on aircraft in the United States and says that such incidents remain high. There were 12,840 incidents reported in 2024 and data for January 2025 showed there were over 1,000 reported laser incidents affecting pilots for that month alone.
The FAA warns that a “laser can incapacitate pilots, putting thousands of passengers at risk every year.” The agency also works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to pursue civil and criminal penalties against people who purposely aim a laser at an aircraft. Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying.
There are civil penalties for people who violate Federal Aviation Regulations by indulging in such dangerous activities. According to the FAA website : “The agency takes enforcement action against people who violate Federal Aviation Regulations by shining lasers at aircraft and can impose civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation. The FAA has imposed civil penalties up to $30,800 against people for multiple laser incidents.
” The FAA has also published the following list of the number of laser strike incidents since 2016: Year Laser incidents 2025 1,799 2024 12,840 2023 13,304 2022 9,457 2021 9,723 2020 6,852 2019 6,136 2018 5,663 2017 6,754 2016 7,398 Other incidents Needless to say, the recent Avelo Airlines incident wasn’t an isolated event. In September 2024, a Delta Air Lines flight was illuminated by a laser during its approach in Boston. It had originated at Austin–Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), and when the Airbus A320 lined up for its final approach on runway 4R, and descending through 9,000 feet, it was struck by a laser.
Of course, this isn’t unique to the United States. In February 2024, it was reported that the pilot of an IndiGo flight between Bengaluru and Kolkata was blinded momentarily during his landing approach when a powerful laser beam penetrated the cockpit. The flight was carrying 165 passengers and six crew members and took place when the aircraft was very close to the runway.
Thankfully, the pilot was able to land the plane safely, and his complaint was later forwarded to the police station in charge of the airport. In 2023, the FAA actually urged laser manufacturers and distributors to include a warning label that advises users of the risk if pointed toward an aircraft . Given the potential consequences of such actions, it seemed like a sensible move.
Flight crew can be temporarily blinded by a laser illuminating the flight deck even if it doesn't strike them directly in the eyes, causing a potential medical or operational emergency. Operations below 10,000 feet are considered sterile, safety-critical phases of flight and a pilot usually handles a huge amount of workload during these phases. Simple Flying has analyzed this in detail in the article below.
A look at why pointing lasers at planes is unwise..
