Etihad 787 crosses active Boston runway, prompting go-around

An Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 entered an active runway at Boston Logan Airport (BOS) without clearance on Thursday 15 October 2026, forcing a Republic Airways aircraft on approach to go around, according to One Mile at a Time. The Etihad flight, EY7, had just arrived from Abu Dhabi (AUH).

What happened

One Mile at a Time reports that the Etihad crew were told to taxi via R and N and to hold short of runway 4L. The crew read those instructions back correctly. However, when the aircraft reached runway 22R/4L, which was the runway in use for landings, it continued across rather than stopping.

The air traffic controller spotted the error and told the Etihad pilots to stop. He also instructed the Republic Airways aircraft, using the callsign "Brickyard", to go around. According to the report, the situation did not escalate, and the Etihad crew were then given instructions to continue taxiing.

Aftermath

One Mile at a Time says the ground controller waited until the aircraft approached the ramp before giving the Etihad pilots a telephone number to call regarding a possible pilot deviation. That is the term used for a potential breach of air traffic instructions by a crew. The report is based on air traffic control audio and a visualisation published by the YouTube channel "You Can See ATC".

The outlet's assessment is that there was probably no imminent danger, because the regional jet had not yet landed and would be unlikely to have reached the point where the 787 was crossing. It nonetheless describes a heavy jet entering a runway without permission as a serious matter.

Open questions

The source offers no official explanation for why the crew crossed the runway despite a correct read-back. One Mile at a Time notes that the 787 had four pilots in the cockpit and speculates that the crew may have been on the 22R side of the runway and failed to connect it with the runway they had been told to hold short of. That is the author's theory, not a confirmed finding. The sources do not mention any investigation outcome, any statement from Etihad, Republic Airways or the authorities, or any injuries.

What this means for travellers

The reported go-around was completed and both aircraft are described as continuing normally, so there is no indication of injuries or lasting disruption for passengers on either flight. Passengers on the Republic Airways flight would have experienced a late abort of their landing and a short delay before a second approach, although the source does not say how long this took. Go-arounds are a standard safety procedure. Whether the pilot deviation leads to any formal action or changes to procedures at Boston is not yet known.

Sources: One Mile at a Time.