Spirit Airlines passengers are recalling tense moments after what appeared to be a mechanical issue during a flight from Jamaica to Florida.
Spirit Airlines Flight 270 was flying from Montego Bay to Fort Lauderdale on Sunday when Bettina Rogers said passengers were told there was a problem with the plane’s door sensors. A video she shared on TikTok shows the Airbus making a “ding” noise as it ascends.
“It wasn’t to the point where the pilot felt he needed to turn back at that moment. He said, ‘Stay tuned for a message,’ and he continued to give us information,” Rogers told USA Today. “The next time he got on the intercom he said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we’re making an emergency landing. We’re turning back so we can get our mechanics and engineers to look at this.'”
Rogers said no one seemed surprised because they understand that planes sometimes have to turn around for inspections.
“Five minutes later, the announcement was made: ‘Flight attendants, prepare for emergency landing,’ and they got ready,” she said. “Another five minutes went by and he said: ‘Flight attendants, prepare for emergency water landing,’ and that’s when the whole plane went crazy.”
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Ms Rogers described people crying, feeling sick and scared. “I remember very clearly the flight attendant coming and saying, ‘Turn off your cell phones, prepare for an emergency water landing, put on your life jackets,'” she said.
Spirit Airlines acknowledged that it had instructed passengers to wear life jackets out of an abundance of caution, but stressed that the alleged issue “did not affect the safety of the flight.”
“The aircraft landed safely at MBJ, taxied to the terminal and passengers disembarked in the normal manner,” Spirit Airlines said in a statement. “Safety is our number one priority and the aircraft will be thoroughly inspected by our maintenance team.”
The passengers were put on another plane and returned to Fort Lauderdale, and the airline apologized for the inconvenience. Rogers said the passengers were also given meal vouchers and flight credits for future travel.
She said that on the second flight, everyone paid special attention to the flight attendants’ safety instructions and made sure they knew where their life jackets were.
“Listen to that safety demonstration,” she said. “It may seem like a mundane story and something you don’t really need to hear, but you never know what’s going to happen.”
