Aircraft diverted to Burlington

By JOE LOTEMPLIO
Staff Writer

March 12, 2009 03:28 am

— PLATTSBURGH — A jet preparing to land at Plattsburgh International Airport Wednesday evening had to be diverted to Burlington due to high winds.

Clinton County Deputy Administrator Rodney Brown said an Allegiant Air jet carrying 150 passengers was due to land around 6 p.m. from Florida.

But with winds gusting up to 50 mph and higher, it had to fly to Burlington International Airport in Vermont where a cross-wind runway made landing safer.

There is no cross-wind runway at the Plattsburgh airport.

County officials were preparing to use the public transportation system to bus Florida-bound passengers waiting at the Plattsburgh airport for the next Allegiant flight to Burlington.

The buses were then to be used to bring the passengers who landed in Burlington back to Plattsburgh where they could retrieve their vehicles.

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com