Because we weren’t already nervous enough about flying in Trump’s America, passengers just evacuated a plane with its engine ablaze at an Orlando airport

On April 21, 2025, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A330 carrying 282 passengers and 12 crew members experienced an engine fire at Orlando International Airport just after pushback en route to Atlanta. The incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. EDT, prompting an immediate evacuation via emergency slides. Officials confirmed there were no initial reports of injuries. 

Videos shared on social media captured dramatic flames coming from the aircraft and passengers evacuating. Orlando airport authorities noted that the fire broke out in the ramp area and that their rescue and firefighting unit responded promptly. Delta said it would deploy additional aircraft to assist affected passengers and that maintenance crews would inspect the damaged plane, Reuters​ reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it would investigate the engine fire, which is the latest in a string of aviation safety incidents in the U.S., perhaps most notably, a deadly mid-air collision in January. ​

An alarming uptick in air travel accidents

Thankful for the ground crew in Orlando (@MCO) and crew of @Delta DL1213 for safely evacuating everyone following an engine fire before takeoff. pic.twitter.com/cPWpeDQWqs

— Kyle Becker (@beckerkw) April 21, 2025

In January, an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a military helicopter as it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., resulting in 67 fatalities. ​Other accidents and mishaps have happened since then, and several people have died. Trump’s policies can’t be directly linked, but observers have noticed the timing.

​During his second term, President Donald Trump implemented significant changes to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), aiming to reshape its hiring practices, oversight mechanisms, and regulatory approaches.

In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order mandating a return to merit-based recruitment, hiring, and promotion within the FAA. This directive emphasized safety and ability as paramount standards, which the administration alleged reversed previous policies that incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) considerations. The administration argued that this shift was necessary to ensure uncompromised aviation safety.

In February 2025, the Trump administration dismissed several hundred FAA employees, including maintenance mechanics and aviation safety assistants. While the administration claimed that no critical safety personnel were affected, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists union contended that over 130 of the eliminated positions directly or indirectly supported air traffic controllers and essential safety functions.

The recent spate of aviation incidents raises questions about the current state of air travel safety and oversight. While air travel remains statistically safe, these events underscore the importance of rigorous maintenance protocols and effective emergency response procedures.​