Passenger Suffers ‘Biohazard Issue’ Throughout Flight, Requiring US Plane to Return

Just two hours into its flight to Spain, a frightened passenger’s bout of diarrhea prompted a US airplane to return to Atlanta, USA, according to a story by The Guardian.

The Airbus A350 operated by Delta Airlines had to make an unplanned stop for five hours of cleaning due to the onboard emergency, which included replacing the dirty aisle carpet. Passengers, including the one with diarrhea, were allowed to board again after an eight-hour delay and eventually arrived in Barcelona on Saturday afternoon.

Social media accounts from several passengers stated the flight attendants cleaned up the mess with paper towels and smelled disinfectant. However, one passenger said that this endeavor unintentionally caused the aircraft to “smell of vanilla excrement.” Another traveler said that when they exited in Atlanta, cabin workers had placed an absorbent paper “runner” along the aisle, requiring people to climb over chairs.

The UK publication said that the cause for the plane’s sudden return over central Virginia was disclosed by an audio recording of a discussion between the pilot and air traffic control. It’s only a biohazard concern, the pilot remarked. They told us to go back to Atlanta after one of our passengers vomited all over the aircraft.

The event was ascribed to a “onboard medical issue” by Delta Airlines, which also apologized for the delay and discomfort it caused to passengers.

This incident happened barely one week after Air Canada apologized to two customers who were kicked off a trip from Seattle to Montreal after complaining that their seats were coated with vomit.