Laser Events Affecting Pilots Are Becoming Surprisingly Common

Both innocent and malicious pranksters have caused real issues for aviators and air traffic controllers alike.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at 09:10 AM ET

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You’re most likely to be affected by laser strikes at low altitudes, in critical phases of flight, and at night. [File Photo Courtesy: NBAA]

Key Takeaways:

Laser strikes on aircraft are a widespread and dangerous issue that can impair pilots and compromise flight safety, with thousands of incidents reported annually.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) follows a strict checklist to manage laser incidents, which includes gathering detailed information from pilots, notifying law enforcement, and issuing warnings to other aircraft.
Intentionally pointing a laser at an aircraft is a federal felony with severe legal penalties, and reporting these incidents is crucial for apprehending offenders and enhancing aviation safety.

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Many of us have played with lasers at some point. We should know that even the small ones can damage our eyes. While smaller lasers are generally safe for short periods, the bigger ones are potentially harmful, even from miles away.

What pilots do and how they are trained are one story, but we’ll stick mainly to what air traffic control (ATC) does whenever it hears “laser” or “my eye!” We’ll also discuss some aftermaths of such events.