Apple Maps is directing drivers to cross an airport runway in Alaska in the software’s latest silly snafu.
Since the program replaced Google Maps in iOS 6, Apple Maps has been made fun of for several things, including leading people into the ocean, making bridges look wonky, and forgetting Croatia is in color.
While most of the mistakes are simply something to put on Tumblr or laugh about in a Top 10 list, The New York Daily News points out that the latest snafu is actually quite dangerous .
In this case, at least two out-of-towners have driven across the main runway of Fairbanks International Airport in the past three weeks. Instead of arriving in the parking area, they ended up arriving on the passenger jet side of the terminals.
Melissa Osborn, chief of operations at the Fairbanks airport, explained, “These folks drove past several signs. They even drove past a gate. None of that cued them that they did something inappropriate.”
Thankfully, Apple Map’s decision to point drivers across an airport runway didn’t do as much harm as it could have. The Alaska Dispatch notes that the turn-by-turn directions were very specific and included instructions to use the access route normally reserved for general aviation pilots.
The problem was first brought to Apple’s attention on September 6 after airport personnel, police, and the TSA surrounded the driver of a rental car during its daylight runway crossing. The tech company promised it would fix the Apple Maps instructions promptly. However, it seems the problem wasn’t addressed.
Apple technicians fixed the issue on Wednesday evening, but not before the airport was forced to barricade the access road to prevent any iPhone or iPad users from accidentally driving onto an active runway.
Apple Maps replaced Google Maps for iOS users in June 2012 and has had to deal with several issues since then. Most notably, the company was forced to redraw Australian maps after several iPhone users were stranded in a national park in scorching temperatures without cell phone reception.
Here’s hoping Apple Maps won’t lead anyone else across active runways… though we can’t say the program will be perfect from here on out.
