An Allegiant Air flight attendant was injured on a plane that took "evasive action" to avoid a collision with another jet near a South Florida airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said, according to reports.
On Sunday, an Allegiant Air plane headed for Kentucky had just taken off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when the pilot received a message about a plane flying at the same altitude.
An air traffic controller from the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center instructed the Allegiant Air pilot "to turn eastbound at an altitude of 23,000 feet when it crossed in front of a northbound Gulfstream business jet," the FAA said, according to CNN.
The Gulfstream jet also took evasive action.
Allegiant Air passenger Jerrica Thacker told CNN that the plane abruptly "went straight up."
"It truly felt like a roller coaster," she said. "We went up and down and then leveled out."
When the plane went upward, two flight attendants fell backwards — one of whom stayed on the ground for five minutes until being helped to the rear of the plane, Thacker recounted.
"The flight crew asked if there were any medically trained individuals on the plane," said Thacker.
About 20 minutes later, the pilot explained over the intercom that the sudden ascension was a maneuver to avoid a collision, and that the aircraft would be returning to Fort Lauderdale.
Thacker said people began crying and praying after the announcement.
She said her and her family rented a car and drove 15 hours to Kentucky because they were too shaken to get back on a plane.
