Delta Air Lines Flight Turned Back Due to Maggots Incident

On a recent Delta flight from Amsterdam to Detroit, passengers found themselves in an unexpected situation. Philip Schotte, a traveler from Iowa, witnessed maggots falling onto a woman seated beside him from an overhead bin. This bizarre incident led to the plane making a U-turn just an hour after takeoff.

According to Schotte, the woman was understandably distressed, attempting to fend off the unwelcome guests as they dropped onto her. As he looked across the aisle, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing — at least a dozen maggots wriggling their way down. It seemed like a bizarre prank, but the reality was far from amusing.

After the initial shock wore off, the flight attendants sprang into action, identifying the source of the infestation: a passenger’s improperly packed bag in the overhead compartment. Inside was a rotten fish wrapped in newspaper, the culprit behind the unsettling incident.

As the flight crew dealt with the situation, passengers were left with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. Schotte stated, “I did see everyone’s reaction to the bag being opened, which was just an immediate pinching of the nose.”

The aircraft was promptly returned to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, much to the relief of the passengers. While Schotte didn’t witness the fate of the passenger responsible for the fish and maggots, he expressed surprise that such items hadn’t been detected by security.

Delta Air Lines later issued an apology, acknowledging the disruption caused by the improperly packed carry-on bag. Passengers were accommodated on the next available flight, while the aircraft underwent thorough cleaning before being returned to service.

The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of properly packing items for air travel, as well as the unexpected challenges that can arise during even routine flights. For those onboard, it was certainly a journey they won’t soon forget.