A Delta flight from Atlanta to Barcelona had to turn back shortly after takeoff on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, because of a passenger’s severe diarrhea that spread through the plane. The pilot described it as a biohazard issue and the plane was cleaned in Atlanta before resuming the flight.
“We’ve had a passenger who’s had diarrhea all the way through the airplane, so they want us to come back to Atlanta,” the pilot said on a recording from LiveATC and shared on X.
A video purportedly showing the aftermath of the “biohazard” incident, in which a Delta passenger caused their flight to turn around due to uncontrollable explosive diarrhea, has emerged on X.
The poster, known as Xansby Swanson, claimed that the video obtained by TMZ was from his younger brother’s flight from Atlanta, Georgia. The flight gained notoriety when it was diverted due to an incident where “someone defecated in the aisle.”
Habib Battah told CNN that he noticed a strange smell, “like manure,” but when he alerted a flight attendant he was handed wet wipes and had to clean the area himself, before being offered blankets from business class to soak up the waste. “We had to sit there smelling the blood for the next seven hours,” he told CNN.
The pilot decided to return to Atlanta after consulting with the flight attendants and the medical staff on board.Delta told CNN that the flight was delayed just over eight hours, but landed in Barcelona without further incident on Saturday at 5.16 p.m. local time. “Our teams worked as quickly and safely as possible to get our customers to their final destination,” a spokesperson said. “We sincerely apologize to our customers for the delay and inconvenience to their travel plans.”
The flight landed safely in Atlanta and the plane was taken out of service for cleaning and disinfection. The passengers were given hotel vouchers and rebooked on another flight that departed eight hours later.
Delta apologized to its customers for any inconvenience caused and expressed gratitude for their patience as the airline worked diligently to transport them to their destination in a timely and secure manner, as stated by an official statement.
The incident raised questions about the hygiene and sanitation standards on airplanes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some experts suggested that airlines should provide more disposable seat covers, wipes, and sanitizers for passengers, as well as improve the ventilation and filtration systems on board.
Relevant articles:
- Delta flight forced to turn around because of diarrhea incident, CNN, 9/5/2023
- Diarrhea ‘All The Way Through’ Airplane Forces Delta Flight To Do U-Turn, Forbes, 9/7/2023
- Delta flight forced to turn around because of passenger’s explosive diarrhea, MSN, 9/6/2023
- Delta Flight Forced to Make Emergency Return After Passenger’s Diarrhea Creates ‘Biohazard’, Yahoo, 9/5/2023