Spirit Airlines appeared to fly through Hurricane Erin on Monday as a statement from the airline claimed the plane “followed instructions”
A flight tracker on social media depicted Spirit Airlines seemingly flying a plane through Hurricane Erin on Monday, despite the Category 4 storm’s winds over 100 mph.
The airline told Newsweek that the flight operated normally and no injuries were reported due to the weather. “Safety is always our top priority,” the statement to the outlet read.
In this case, our Pilots followed procedures and Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions while en route to San Juan (SJU). Our Operations Control Center closely tracks weather systems and works with our Pilots and ATC to determine flight paths that safely navigate around or above adverse weather conditions,” the airline stated.
On Monday, the live flight tracker Flightradar24 shared a news of a plane from Spirit Airlines flying through Hurricane Erin.
The information from Flightradar24 didnt clarify if the plane was flying above the storm.
“Did Spirit take up the Hurricane Hunter mission?” Flightradar24 wrote on X.
Flight data from another flight tracker, FlightAware, depicted the plane navigating the outer bands of Erin rather than going directly into it.
According to Newsweek, the plane left Philadelphia at 1:34 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 5:15 p.m.
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The flight landed safely in San Juan on Monday, delayed by 52 minutes.
X users expressed their outrage at Spirit Airlines regarding the the alleged flight through Hurricane Erin.
“SPIRIT AIRLINES PILOT JUST FLEW A FULL PLANE DIRECTLY THROUGH HURRICANE ERIN Days after the airline warned it may not survive financially, their pilot takes THIS kind of risk? You cant make this up,” someone posted on X.
“Solid advertisement not to fly spirit,” another person commented, while another posted: “And with stunts like that, its no wonder theyre on the verge of financial collapse. Im sure the passengers werent happy.”
But it might not have been as dangerous as most people think.
“Flying through a hurricane at altitude is not particularly hazardous, particularly if you are above the tops of the clouds and the turbulent layer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor John Hansman told Newsweek.
The winds are not a problem at altitude and it is common for aircraft to fly in high winds aloft in the jet stream. It is more hazardous to land or take off in those conditions where there are high winds and rain.”
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