WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- A Spirit Airlines jet heading from Fort Lauderdale to New York made an emergency landing at Palm Beach International Airport when a detector malfunctioned and indicated smoke or flames were in the cargo area, fire-rescue officials said.
People on board the plane also reported a smell that one crew member likened to cigarette smoke, said Mike Arena, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue battalion chief.
Firefighters found no problems on the plane, which made the emergency landing at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, less than an hour after taking off.
Spirit Airlines spokeswoman Laura Richeson said she was not aware of a faulty indicator. The smell prompted the pilot to make the ``precautionary landing,'' she said.
Spirit reported another plane took the 137 passengers on board to New York's LaGuardia Airport.
On Monday, an anonymous bomb threat forced another Spirit plane headed to Atlantic City, N.J., to return to Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. Nothing suspicious was found on the plane, officials said.
