Southwest 737 Aborts Takeoff After Runway Lights Flash Red at LAX

On July 12, 2025, at 14:35Z, Southwest Airlines Flight 1110 (a B737) rejected takeoff on Runway 24L at KLAX after noticing red runway hold lights activate around 60 knots. The lights were triggered due to United Flight 348, which had landed on 24R and was holding short of 24L. The tower did not instruct the abort and later asked SWA1110 for the reason.

The Red Hold Lights Appeared

UAL348 was given a phone number for a possible pilot deviation. SWA1110 returned to the gate for inspection and departed about two hours later

The event occurred during a runway operation in which the Southwest crew observed an active red runway-hold-light indication while accelerating. The description places the observation at roughly 60 knots, before the aircraft reached a normal high-speed rejected-takeoff regime.

United Flight 348 had landed on the parallel runway and was holding short of the runway Southwest was using. The automated lighting system therefore provided a warning of the runway status without a direct instruction from the tower to reject the takeoff.

The event description records the time as 14:35Z on July 12, 2025. Southwest Flight 1110 was departing Runway 24L at Los Angeles International Airport when the crew saw red runway-hold lights activate at approximately 60 knots.

The record does not report a runway incursion, collision or injuries. Southwest rejected the takeoff, returned to the gate for inspection and later departed.

The record is also clear that the tower did not direct Southwest to reject the takeoff. The crews decision was based on the runway-light indication, after which the controller sought an explanation and the flight returned to the gate.

No final investigation finding establishes any injury or aircraft damage from the rejected takeoff.

Accident Facts

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