Some Allegiant Air passengers and crew injured in turbulent flight

Some Allegiant Air passengers and crew injured in turbulent flight to Florida, officials say

WFTS

Allegiant Air planes are spotted at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport on Wednesday

CNN –

Four people on an Allegiant Air flight to Florida were checked for injuries after the flight encountered severe turbulence Wednesday afternoon, the airline said.

Allegiant Air Flight 227, which departed from Asheville, North Carolina, “experienced severe turbulence” at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport prior to landing, airline spokesman Andrew Porrello said.

The plane, with 179 passengers and six crew members, “landed normally and rolled to the gate under its own power,” Porrello said.

Two passengers and two flight attendants were taken to a hospital for evaluation after airport paramedics checked them for injuries, Porrello said, without describing the injuries or the condition of the four.

The injuries are believed to be relatively minor, St. Pete-Clearwater Airport spokeswoman Michele Routh told CNN.

The crew of the Airbus A320 reported turbulence on approach to Florida Airport around 3:45 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said. Neither the FAA — which said it would investigate the incident — nor Porrello gave further details about the incident.

Allegiant will investigate the incident in coordination with the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board, Porrello said.