A harrowing near-miss incident aboard an Allegiant Air flight has left a newbie flyer shaken to the core, vowing never to step foot on a plane again. Jerrica Thacker, a 21-year-old from Kentucky, was returning home after a cruise trip with her family when her second-ever flight turned into a heart-stopping ordeal over Florida.
Shortly after takeoff from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Flight 485 had to make a sudden and dramatic manoeuvre to avoid an in-air collision with a private jet. The Airbus A320 shot “straight up” without warning, causing alarm among passengers. Flight attendants fell to the ground, and fellow travellers gasped in fear.
“It felt like a roller coaster,” Thacker recounted, her voice trembling. “I grabbed onto the armrests and braced myself, thinking we were dropping, but later I realised we were actually ascending at a steep angle.”
For Thacker, this was the scariest moment of her life. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot received an automated alert about another aircraft approaching at the same altitude. The situation demanded immediate action, and the pilot took evasive measures to prevent a catastrophic collision.
The FAA confirmed that a flight attendant suffered injuries during the incident and was attended to upon the flight’s return to Fort Lauderdale. The agency is now investigating the matter.
Allegiant Air declined to comment to Insider, citing an ongoing “active investigation,” and directing all inquiries to the FAA.
Once the aircraft stabilised, the pilot made a nerve-wracking announcement, explaining that the abrupt manoeuvre was necessary to avoid another aircraft. The shaken passengers, including Thacker’s own family, were visibly emotional, with some crying and praying.
After landing, Thacker and her family unanimously decided to forgo further air travel. Instead, they rented a car and embarked on a gruelling 15-hour journey back home to Kentucky.
“We were all really shaken up, like no one really wanted to fly,” Thacker recounted, her voice still carrying fear.
This terrifying incident has left an indelible mark on Thacker’s psyche, leading her to vow never to set foot on an aeroplane again. “All I can think about is that I must have some bad luck,” she said, still trying to process the trauma.
Thacker’s first flight, just days before the incident, was from Kentucky to Florida. She reflected on the irony of such an unnerving encounter happening so early in her flying experience. She concluded that flying doesn’t appeal to her.
As the investigation into this heart-stopping near-miss continues, questions arise about air traffic control and the potential risks faced by first-time flyers like Thacker. One thing remains certain: the skies hold both the wonder of travel and the inherent risks that demand our unwavering attention and vigilance.
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