Cedar Rapids-bound flight makes emergency landing in Tennessee

An airport spokesman in Chattanooga says Allegiant Air Flight 760 had engine trouble after leaving Orlando and had to land in Tennessee.

At least two other Allegiant Air flights from Orlando have made emergency landings this week. There were 107 passengers and six crew members on that flight, said Allegiant. Another landed in Rhode Island on Wednesday after passengers reported an abnormal smell.

Some Allegiant pilots have been complaining about issues with the company’s planes for almost a year.

“All three diversions were for very different and unrelated reasons”, the airline said in the statement.

OH resident Matt Emch was on an Allegiant flight Christmas Eve that was forced to circle back to Jacksonville. The airline said the flights were among 212 that originated in Orlando in the past seven days.

Passengers said the problem became apparent some 35 miles from Chattanooga when the plane was at 32,000 feet. Letters have been sent to the company’s shareholders, management and passengers, claiming the Allegiant fleet is plagued by persistent mechanical problems caused by poor equipment and the company’s unwillingness to invest money. The aircraft landed safely at about 8:02 a.m. local time. They’re being asked to stay at the gate until Allegiant figures out the next steps to re-route them to their final destination of Cedar Rapids.