Mouldy Chicken Forces Delta Flight to Make Emergency JFK Landing
A Delta Airlines flight from Detroit to Amsterdam made an emergency landing at york/">New York’s JFK Airport after passengers and crew, including both pilots, were served mouldy chicken. The shocking food blunder forced the plane to turn back mid-Atlantic, a passenger revealed.
Pilot Turns Plane Around Due to “Food Issue”
Nancy Kirchoff, 65, was on board with her husband when the pilot announced the unexpected U-turn. “We were about halfway to Amsterdam, near Nova Scotia, when the pilot came on and said there was some type of food issue,” she said. Flight attendants then checked if anyone felt sick after discovering mould on the chicken served.
None of the passengers reported symptoms, but both pilots had eaten the contaminated meal. The flight, Delta Airlines flight 136, left Detroit just before 11pm Tuesday and touched down at JFK around 4am Wednesday.
Medical Teams Stand By as Crew and Passengers Treated
Medical staff met the plane at JFK, attending to 14 passengers and 10 crew members. All declined further medical care. Delta confirmed the in-flight meal was spoiled, apologised for the inconvenience, and vowed to investigate the incident with their catering partner, LSG Sky Chefs.
“This is not the service Delta is known for and we sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience and delay in their travels,” a Delta spokesperson said.
Travellers Face Delays and Rebookings After Food Scare
Kirchoff and her husband were travelling to celebrate their 20th anniversary on a cruise. Their tickets were changed three times before they were rebooked onto a new flight. They are now due to arrive on Thursday, missing the cruise’s first day but planning to join at the next port.
Frustrated passengers hit out on social media, questioning how the airline would ensure timely arrival in Amsterdam after such a “contaminated food” emergency.
Passengers affected were given hotel accommodation and transport, with Delta working to get them on alternate flights to their destinations.
Delta’s Latest Food Fail Follows Previous Emergency Landing
This incident echoes another Delta emergency landing in April when a flight from New York to Los Angeles was diverted back to JFK after an emergency slide detached mid-flight. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in that scare.
