Phoenix, Arizona - An air traffic controller narrowly avoided a potentially dangerous situation when two American Airlines planes with the same call sign were in the same airspace at the same time, media outlets reported on Friday.

"I've been working in air traffic for 25 years. I've never seen two aircraft pretty much merge with the same call sign. That's pretty incredible," the controller was quoted as saying by ABC 15 and KOAA News 5.

American Airlines operates flights between Chicago and Phoenix in both directions using the call sign AA2482.

On Thursday evening, the flight from Chicago to Phoenix departed with a significant delay, while the flight from Phoenix to Chicago left on time.

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Both aircraft were Boeing 737-800s. Because of the delay, the two planes ended up in the same airspace at the same time. 

According to KOAA News 5, the aircraft were about three miles apart horizontally and roughly 2,000 feet apart vertically. The distance was within legally required separation limits, the report said.

The controller ensured the aircraft passed each other safely by clearly distinguishing between the two flights, addressing the pilots as "2482 landing" and "2482 departure" and instructing them to maintain specific altitudes.

Both flights were able to continue "without incident."