Delta Air Lines In-Flight Food Disaster: What We Know

Delta Air Lines is under fire after a flight heading to Amsterdam from Detroit was diverted to JFK in New York City after discovering spoiled food on board. Nearly 300 passengers were given “spoiled” dishes. Let’s take a look at what else we know about this latest in-flight disaster.

Delta Air Lines In-Flight Food Disaster: The Fallout

On Wednesday, July 3, Delta Air Lines flight No. 136, a red eye from Detroit to Amsterdam, was diverted to JFK International Airport after passengers complained of receiving spoiled, moldy food in the main cabin.

It’s unclear, however, how many passengers were given the contaminated food before the flight was diverted to JFK. Sources told the New York Post that at least 24 became ill after eating food covered in black bold. No one was hospitalized, but air traffic controllers told Delta that the food made 70 people sick, with 24 treated for symptoms.

“This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travels,” the company said in a statement, as reported by CNBC.

Ash Dhokte, who leads onboard service at Delta Air Lines, told airline staff members in an email that “immediate corrective actions have been implemented to avoid recurrence.”

“As our last line of defense, please examine the dish before serving it and do not serve any food that may have a contaminant,” Dhokte wrote while emphasizing the “rarity” of in-flight food contamination.

In response to this incident, Delta has announced that it will only be serving vegetarian dishes moving forward for international flights. According to an airline representative, roughly 75 foreign flights on Wednesday and a comparable amount on Thursday had pasta served in the main cabin by the airline.

“Out of an abundance of caution, Delta teams have proactively adjusted our in-flight meal service on a number of international flights,” the spokesperson said to CNBC in a statement.

“Delta is taking prudent action. When you have a food scare you don’t want anyone getting sick on a plane,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel consultant and founder of Atmosphere Research Group, to the outlet. “Going to all pasta is the safest and smartest option.”

Maggots on a Plane

This isn’t the first time that Delta Air Lines has faced an issue with cleanliness on its planes.

Back in February, on a flight from Amsterdam back to Detroit, passengers encountered an unforeseen circumstance. Iowan traveler Philip Schotte saw maggots drop from an overhead bin onto a woman sitting next to him. An hour after departure, the plane made a U-turn due to this strange incident.

Schotte said the woman was obviously upset, trying to push away the unwanted visitors as they fell on her. He was astounded to see at least a dozen maggots slithering down the aisle as he gazed across it. Although it appeared to be a strange joke, the truth was not funny at all.

As soon as the initial shock subsided, the flight attendants moved quickly to find the infestation’s source — a passenger’s incorrectly packed bag in the overhead compartment. The source of the unpleasant episode was a decaying fish that was wrapped in newspaper and found inside.

To the passengers’ great relief, the plane was swiftly returned to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. Schotte expressed amazement that security hadn’t found the fish and maggots, despite not knowing what happened to the passenger who brought them on board.

Later, Delta Air Lines apologized, admitting that the badly packed carry-on luggage had caused a disruption. The next available flight took the passengers, and the aircraft was thoroughly cleaned before it was put back into service.

The event serves as a reminder of the significance of accurately packing belongings for flights, as well as the unforeseen difficulties that can occur on even regular trips. It was a voyage that all on board will most likely never forget.