[CNN] Washington - The control tower where a Delta Air Lines regional jet had to perform an "aggressive maneuver" to avoid colliding with an Air Force B-52 bomber isn’t staffed by the Federal Aviation Administration, but rather air traffic controllers working for a private company.It’s more common than most fliers may think. About half of the control towers at civilian airports in the US are operated under contract by private companies, according to the FAA. Most are at smaller airports, like Minot International.
On Friday, the B-52 bomber was conducting a flyover at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds, near the Minot airport that, "was planned in advance and approved by the Federal Aviation Administration," according to a statement from Minot Air Force Base.
"The tower did not advise of the inbound commercial aircraft," the statement said.
The passenger plane wasn’t told about the bomber either, according to a video filmed inside the plane by a passenger and posted on TikTok.
The pilot of the Delta jet, operated by regional carrier SkyWest Airlines, can be heard telling passengers that the aircraft was "kind of, sort of coming at us" and it was safest to turn sharply to pass behind it.