In a bizarre turn of events on September 1st, a Delta Airlines plane en route from Atlanta to Barcelona found itself in an unprecedented situation.
Two hours into the transatlantic flight, what can only be described as a “biohazard” incident forced the pilot to make an emergency landing.
A “Biohazard” Alert
The ordeal began when air traffic control received a message from the pilot, alerting them to a grave situation on board, according to Insider.
In an audio recording via LiveATC.net, the pilot calmly stated, “We’ve had a passenger who’s had diarrhea all the way through the airplane.”
The severity of the situation was further validated when a Federal Aviation Authority flight strip, confirmed the report. The chilling words on the strip read, “Passenger diarrhea all over aircraft.”
Comments by passengers who claimed to be on the same flight painted a surreal picture of the incident. Apparently, the diarrhea was so extensive that it “dribbled down” the plane aisle, creating an unimaginable scene of discomfort and chaos.
An Unscheduled Detour
In response to the alarming situation, the pilot took the necessary action and made the tough decision to divert the flight back to Atlanta. This unscheduled detour was deemed necessary to address the biohazard situation and ensure the safety and well-being of everyone on board.
The consequences of this emergency landing were felt by all passengers and crew members. After landing in Atlanta, they were transferred onto another plane, causing an eight-hour delay in their travel plans.
Instead of arriving in Spain as planned, they reached their destination at 5:10 pm the next day, exhausted and inconvenienced.
It remained uncertain whether the passenger with distressed bowels had managed to board the new flight. The incident had undoubtedly left everyone involved shaken and perplexed.
A Traumatic Experience
A TikTok user, claiming to have been on the affected aircraft, posted a video showing the evacuated plane with absorbent towels lining the aisle. In the video, she described the incident as “traumatic” and emphasized that “things were not okay.”
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Delta Airlines’ Response
Delta Airlines officials confirmed that the aircraft had indeed faced a “medical issue” and had to be redirected to Atlanta for cleaning.
In a statement to Insider, a Delta spokesperson said, “Our teams worked as quickly and safely as possible to thoroughly clean the airplane and get our customers to their final destination. We sincerely apologize to our customers for the delay and inconvenience to their travel plans.”
Passengers share their experience
Both my wife and I were on the flight. It was a mess. The pilots made the right decision to turn around. The ground crew ripped out the carpet and put new in. Considering the circumstances, the ground crew did a great job, along the attendants and the pilots.
— John Hurdt (@john_hurdt) September 4, 2023
The flight was met by emergency vehicles and EMTs carried the sick passenger off the plane. My partner said the plane was cleaner when they got back on at 2:00 am than it was the first time they got on. No smell either.
— Dee W (@Woodyssea) September 4, 2023