Narrative:

After receiving our visual approach clearance; approach control asked us to slow to our approach speed. We were about 8-10 mi out and slowed to 135 KIAS in landing confign. We were handed off to the tower and flying the ILS backed up visually; at 1000 ft RA; I remember hearing the automated callout of 1000 ft and responded stable. Sometime after this; I heard tower ask an air carrier Y if he was ready. He responded he was; and the tower cleared him for an immediate takeoff on the runway we were landing. I continued the approach to approximately 100 ft AGL; the air carrier Y had not rotated; at this point I executed a go around. We got vectored around for a safe landing on the same runway. After arriving at the gate the captain called the tower to question the event. He was told that if they didn't get air carrier Y out then; air carrier Y would have had to wait for 2 more arrs before they could depart and that it was legal! Another event where ATC gives air carrier Y preference; even compromising safety in the instance; and poor airmanship by air carrier Y for not clearing final before taking an active runway. Do we have to wait for an accident for this to stop? Tower was so insistent to get air carrier Y out so they would not have to wait; they had us slow on a 8-10 mi final; then still cleared the jet for an immediate takeoff when we were on short final; so air carrier Y would not have to wait. I doubt it was legal; but if it was; was it safe? No! Have ATC quit giving air carrier Y preference and thinking 'they can do it;' while jeopardizing other airlines' safety!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPTAIN REPORTS GO AROUND CAUSED BY TOWER CLEARING ANOTHER B737 TO TAKE OFF WITH INSUFFICIENT SPACING. REPORTER BELIEVES PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT IS GIVEN TO ONE ACR TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHERS.

Narrative: AFTER RECEIVING OUR VISUAL APCH CLRNC; APCH CTL ASKED US TO SLOW TO OUR APCH SPD. WE WERE ABOUT 8-10 MI OUT AND SLOWED TO 135 KIAS IN LNDG CONFIGN. WE WERE HANDED OFF TO THE TWR AND FLYING THE ILS BACKED UP VISUALLY; AT 1000 FT RA; I REMEMBER HEARING THE AUTOMATED CALLOUT OF 1000 FT AND RESPONDED STABLE. SOMETIME AFTER THIS; I HEARD TWR ASK AN ACR Y IF HE WAS READY. HE RESPONDED HE WAS; AND THE TWR CLRED HIM FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF ON THE RWY WE WERE LNDG. I CONTINUED THE APCH TO APPROX 100 FT AGL; THE ACR Y HAD NOT ROTATED; AT THIS POINT I EXECUTED A GAR. WE GOT VECTORED AROUND FOR A SAFE LNDG ON THE SAME RWY. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE GATE THE CAPT CALLED THE TWR TO QUESTION THE EVENT. HE WAS TOLD THAT IF THEY DIDN'T GET ACR Y OUT THEN; ACR Y WOULD HAVE HAD TO WAIT FOR 2 MORE ARRS BEFORE THEY COULD DEPART AND THAT IT WAS LEGAL! ANOTHER EVENT WHERE ATC GIVES ACR Y PREFERENCE; EVEN COMPROMISING SAFETY IN THE INSTANCE; AND POOR AIRMANSHIP BY ACR Y FOR NOT CLRING FINAL BEFORE TAKING AN ACTIVE RWY. DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT FOR THIS TO STOP? TWR WAS SO INSISTENT TO GET ACR Y OUT SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT; THEY HAD US SLOW ON A 8-10 MI FINAL; THEN STILL CLRED THE JET FOR AN IMMEDIATE TKOF WHEN WE WERE ON SHORT FINAL; SO ACR Y WOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT. I DOUBT IT WAS LEGAL; BUT IF IT WAS; WAS IT SAFE? NO! HAVE ATC QUIT GIVING ACR Y PREFERENCE AND THINKING 'THEY CAN DO IT;' WHILE JEOPARDIZING OTHER AIRLINES' SAFETY!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.