Southwest Airlines Jet Almost Takes Off From Taxiway

Common flight maneuvers that might feel unsettling but are normal

Here are three surprising flight maneuvers that feel dangerous but are completely safe.

A Southwest Airlines flight nearly took off from a taxiway instead of a runway on Thursday.

According to the airline, flight 3278 from Orlando to Albany, New York, "stopped safely on a taxiway at Orlando International Airport this morning after the crew mistook the surface for the nearby runway."

In a separate statement, the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident, said that the taxiway runs parallel to the runway the flight was supposed to take off from.

"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 FAA's statement said.

According to Southwest, the passengers were accommodated on another aircraft for their flight to Albany, and no injuries were reported.

"Southwest is engaged with the (National Transportation Safety Board) and FAA to understand the circumstances of the event," the airline said. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees."

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.