AUSTIN (KXAN) — Seven people flying from Austin to Germany were taken to hospitals in the Washington, D.C., area Wednesday night after their plane suffered significant turbulence.
According to Dulles Airport media, Lufthansa flight 469 was heading from Austin to Frankfurt when it diverted to Dulles after experiencing the turbulence.
The announcement went on to say the plane landed safely at Dulles Airport.
Lufthansa flight 469 was heading to Frankfurt, Germany from Austin when it landed at Dulles Airport at around 8:10 p.m. Central Time after encountering turbulence at 37,000 feet over Tennessee, the FAA told WRC-TV, the NBC station in Washington, D.C.
A spokesperson for Lufthansa said the flight made the unscheduled landing as a precautionary measure.
After it landed, affected passengers received medical attention.
Lufthansa ground staff at Dulles attended to the well-being of passengers and helped rebook them accordingly, the spokesperson said.
“Lufthansa regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers,” the spokesperson said in a statement to KXAN. “The safety and well-being of passengers and crew members is Lufthansa’s top priority at all times.”
As KXAN reported in early 2022, Lufthansa, the German national airline, resumed nonstop service between Austin and Frankfort in April after canceling it because of the pandemic.
Flights operate three days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The outbound flight departs Austin at 4 p.m. and arrives in Frankfurt the following day. Inbound flights leave Frankfurt at 10:05 a.m. and arrive in Austin at 2:15 p.m. local time.
The route is served by the Airbus A330-300.
Flights can accommodate up to 255 passengers: 42 in business class, 28 in premium economy and 185 in economy.