MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — A Southwest Airlines flight that took off from Raleigh-Durham International Airport Thursday had to turn around after what a spokesperson for the airline called “a potential bird strike.”
According to Dan Landson, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson, Flight 1954 from RDU to Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida returned to Raleigh-Durham “shortly after taking off.”
Data from the flight-tracking website FlightAware shows the Boeing 737-700 took off at 1:12 p.m. and landed safely back at RDU at 1:26 p.m.
“The aircraft is being reviewed by mechanics and our teams are working with customers to get them to their destinations as soon as possible,” said Landson.
According to logs from FlightAware, Southwest Flight 1954 with service to Fort Lauderdale took off again from RDU at 3:56 p.m. Thursday. It is unclear if the flight operated on the same aircraft involved in a possible bird strike incident.