The airline industry has been beset in recent years by mid-air violence, harrowing near misses and a frustrating record of flight delays and cancellations.
What passengers on a recent international Delta flight endured, however, is among the most viscerally disgusting experiences yet.
According to reports, the roughly eight-hour flight between Amsterdam and Detroit, Michigan, devolved into bedlam roughly one-quarter of the way into the journey.
One of the passengers had apparently filled a carry-on bag with raw fish infested with maggots. Another passenger recalled the scene that unfolded about two hours after takeoff.
In a social media post that has since been deleted, the passenger wrote: “Really lovely to be 2 hours into an 8 hour [Delta flight] to Amsterdam and find out there is rotten fish and maggots hitching a ride with us.”
Another passenger recalled the experience in a Reddit post.
“My family and I were in the row directly in front of the maggots,” the commenter wrote. “The lady right behind us told the flight attendants the maggots were falling on her head. Ugh. I turned around and they were wiggling around on the seat. They moved us further in the front though.”
The jet was forced to turn around and the passenger responsible for bringing the infested fish on board was reportedly detained as the rest of the occupants disembarked. The bag containing the fish was reportedly segregated by airline staff and sent to an incinerator.
Following the incident, the jet was removed from service until it had been thoroughly cleaned, according to the Daily Mail.
It was unclear from available reports whether the passenger responsible for the incident will face any fines or penalties.
Passengers delayed overnight by the nauseating interruption were reportedly given 8,000 air miles, $30 for a meal, and the cost of a hotel room by Delta. The compensation did not salvage what was a ruined trip — not to mention the source of a disturbing memory — for many aboard the flight.
One passenger wrote online that another flight on a different airline was not available until the next day.
It makes "Snakes on a Plane" look tame!
A Delta flight, inbound to Metro Airport from Amsterdam, had to turn back Tuesday as maggots began falling from the overhead cabin onto terrified passengers below.
Full story: https://t.co/yAUuUXWiIO pic.twitter.com/vPuQLm9fVU
— WWJ 950 (@WWJ950) February 15, 2024
The Reddit user summed up the experience: “Absolutely gross. This dude literally messed up the travel situations of hundreds of people.”
