Definition
An air traffic control procedure in which a pilot accepts a clearance to land on a runway and stop short of an intersecting runway, an intersecting taxiway, or a designated point on the runway, in order to allow safe separation from other aircraft or vehicles operating on or near the airport surface.
Plain English
You agree to land and bring the aircraft to a stop before reaching a specific point on the runway, so another aircraft or vehicle can use the area beyond that point at the same time.
Context Anchor
Heard in tower-controlled airport operations, especially when air traffic control is trying to keep traffic moving on crossing runways or nearby taxiways.
Why Pilots Care
Allows safe, simultaneous use of crossing runways and increases airport capacity without reducing separation standards.
Grounding Statement
Picture landing on a runway but treating a marked point ahead as the end of your usable runway.
Intuition Check
LAHSO is not just advice to slow down after landing. If you accept it, you must land and stop before the hold-short point.
Example Sentence 1
Tower issued a LAHSO clearance to land on Runway 27 and hold short of Runway 33, which the pilot accepted after confirming the available landing distance.
Example Sentence 2
We accepted the LAHSO clearance only after confirming we had enough runway remaining to stop before the hold-short line.