A Southwest Airlines flight dropped several hundred feet in a matter of seconds to avoid a midair collision, after the Federal Aviation Administration said pilots were alerted to another aircraft's presence in the area.

Alarms sounded in the cockpit of a Southwest Airlines jet shortly after taking off from Hollywood Burbank airport near Los Angeles on Friday, prompting evasive maneuvers, the airline said in a statement.

Two attendants were hurt on Friday during an emergency maneuver on a Southwest flight departing Hollywood Burbank Airport.

The crew of a Las Vegas-bound Southwest Airlines plane flying out of Hollywood Burbank Airport on Friday responded to two onboard traffic alerts, which led to staff injuries, airline representatives said.

What felt like a free‑fall for passengers on Southwest Flight 1496 may prompt serious questions about air safety and how close is too close?

The Southwest Boeing 737 departed just before noon local time on Friday for a scheduled flight to Las Vegas. Six minutes after takeoff, a privately owned Hawker Hunter fighter jet crossed less than two miles in front of the Southwest plane, passing within a few hundred feet of the same altitude, according to flight tracking site Flightradar24.

Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines announced several major policy changes in an attempt to boost the airline's slumping profits. This was highlighted by the decision to begin charging for checked bags,

Southwest Airlines' CEO told investors in a July 24 earnings call that the airline could eventually open its own lounges.