Frontier Airlines plane makes emergency landing at RDU after 'smoke/odor' detected

A passenger plane bound from Norfolk to Orlando made an emergency landing at Raleigh Durham International Airport on Saturday after what a Frontier Airlines spokesperson called a "fume/odor event."

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A passenger plane bound from Norfolk, Virginia, to Orlando, Florida, made an emergency landing at Raleigh Durham International Airport on Saturday after what a Frontier Airlines spokesperson called a "fume/odor event."

"Out of an abundance of caution, the aircraft diverted to Raleigh-Durham and both passengers and crew exited the aircraft via evacuation slides," the spokesperson said.
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RDU officials said 102 people were evacuated from the aircraft.

One passenger was medically evaluated and taken to WakeMed. No other injuries or health issues were reported.

A view of the Frontier plane from another airliner where passengers waited during the evacuation. Courtesy of Eliza Webb

@webb_eliza / Twitter

RDU officials said the airport was contacted about 5:45 p.m. by Frontier Flight 1159 with a need to divert. When the plane arrived, RDU Fire Rescue responded along with Wake EMS, Raleigh Fire, Wake County Fire Service and Wake County HAZMAT.

There was no indication of a fire on the aircraft, Frontier Airlines said.

All passengers made it safely inside the airport terminal. Frontier is working to get them to their destinations.
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The airport remained open throughout the event; however, the Terminal 2 ramp was closed briefly but reopened around 7:20 p.m.

RDU officials said approximately 16 arrival flights were unable to access a gate for at least an hour because of the terminal closing, which was done as a cautionary measure.

Airfield operations have returned to normal.

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