KENNER – A Southwest Airlines flight tried to land at the Louis Armstrong International Airport during Saturday’s severe weather, causing passengers to fear for their safety.
Southwest flight 3461 was coming from Fort Lauderdale, however it had to be diverted to Panama City before finally landing in New Orleans.
Passengers said as the plane was trying to land the first time, it was swaying back and forth.
Eyewitness News was told that some passengers were screaming and crying at times, with at least one passenger throwing up and others were told to hold on to their children.
“We came through the clouds and the plane was just tilting back and forth. It was going all over the place. People were screaming, people were crying,” Lauren Bale, Eyewitness News reporter and passenger of the flight, said.
One passenger said she thought she was going to die.
“It felt like I was about to lift off. I felt like it was done. I felt like I was about to see baby Jesus and papa god,” passenger Marie Wary said.
According to passengers, the flight tried to land another time, however conditions were not helping the situation.
"It was really thunder, lightning... you couldn't see anything. There was no visibility. Right as we were about to land...he pulled right back up and went right back out,” passenger Sharo Bikoundou said.
Eyewitness News reached out to Southwest Airlines to see why the flight was not canceled. Their response is below:
“Our top focus is Safety. Flight 3461 from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans arrived about four hours behind schedule after persistent thunderstorms over New Orleans forced prolonged holding near New Orleans awaiting clearance from air traffic controllers followed by a refueling stop in Panama City before the completion of the journey. The Safety of our Customers and Employees as well the Safe operation of every flight is our highest priority.”
More on this story is coming up on Eyewitness News at 10 p.m.