Spirit Airlines’ plane flies through Cat 4 Hurricane Erin, lands safely in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: A Spirit Airlines flight travelling from Philadelphia to San Juan, Puerto Rico, reportedly passed directly through the path of Hurricane Erin on Monday. The storm, at the time, was classified as a Category 4 hurricane with winds reaching up to 50 miles per hour. 

According to the information, flight NK2298, operated by an Airbus A320, left Philadelphia at 1:34 pm and landed in San Juan at 5:15 pm local time. The flight tracking data revealed that the aircraft’s route cut across the hurricane’s outer bands which sparked concerns among social media users who questioned the safety of the flight.  

After the flight landed safely, the airline confirmed its status and confirmed that all passengers and crew members were safe. The airline also noted that commercial lights are carefully coordinated with federal aviation and meteorological authorities to ensure safety even when storms are present in the region.  

Notably, the plane landed San Juan safely with the airline confirming that no injuries were reported and the flight was completed as per its original schedule. 

The incident drew significant attention online with several users expressing alarm at the aircraft’s proximity to hurricane Erin's system. “It had to be two ex-military pilots to be brave enough to fly through a hurricane,” said a user named Anthony Pemberton while another said, “Obviously this jumbie airline, equivalent to a Caribbean minibus will get you there dead or alive.” 

Erin developed into the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season after originating over Cape Verde on August 11. It rapidly intensified over the central Atlantic and reached Category 5 status by August 15.  

Around August 15–16, Erin’s outer bands brought heavy rain, powerful winds, and flooding to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The storm didn’t make landfall on the island but still caused widespread power outages and infrastructure stress 

The hurricane, which intensified rapidly in the Atlantic, continues to move through the region with authorities advising residents in its projected path to remain alert and prepared for possible impacts. The storm has now weakened to a Category 3 storm, but forecasters say that it still remains powerful and dangerous.