Allegiant Air Allegedly Fires Pilot for Making Emergency Landing

A pilot’s union claims that the pilot of the Allegiant Air flight 864 that made an emergency landing at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Florida, on June 8 has been fired.

The pilot decided to make an emergency landing due to reports of smoke in the Maryland-bound aircraft’s cabin. Four passengers and a crew member sustained minor injuries while exiting through evacuation slides.

The airline told the FAA that the mechanics could not find any problem in the aircraft.

The president of the Airline Professionals Association Teamsters Local 1224, Dan Wells, said, “Believe me, the message was intentional and loud and clear: Don’t you dare push the safety stuff too far.”